Located near Keystone, South Dakota

Planned and supervised by sculptor Gutzon Borglum

Honors four U.S. Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln

Symbolism:

• These presidents were chosen to represent our country's birth, growth, development, and preservation

Click here to learn more about Mount Rushmore (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

This memorial honors all those affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995 - a federal office building was blown up by American terrorists

The memorial covers more than three acres

This memorial has many symbols - here are three:

• The Gates of Time (the structure on the right) represent the time before the explosion and the time when rescuers began their work

• The reflecting pool allows visitors to see themselves and reflect on how they have been changed by the event

• The field of empty chairs represent those who were killed in the blast

Click here to learn more about The Oklahoma City National Memorial (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located on Liberty Island in Manhattan, New York

It's actual name is Liberty Enlightening the World and it was a gift to the United States from France - it was dedicated in 1886

The statue itself in 151 feet tall - the complete height, with the pedestal, is 305 feet

Symbolism:

• The statue itself represents liberty

• The torch represents the light that leads to freedom, liberty, and justice

• The crown is meant to appear as a halo of light

• The tablet she holds has the date of July 4th, 1776 - the date of the signing of The Declaration of Independence

• There are broken chains at her feet that represent that she has broken free from oppression

Click here to learn more about The Statue of Liberty (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located in Chichen Itza, Mexico

Kukulcan was built sometime between 700 AD and 1100 AD

Within the temple are two rooms - one was devoted to sacrifice and the other may have been a throne room

Symbolism:

• Kukulcan and Quetzalcoatl are the same Mayan god and is represented by a feathered snake carving at the bottom of the pyramid

• Each equinox, the sun creates snake-like shadows on the steps

• Each of the four sets of steps have 91 stairs - this adds to 364. There is one final step to the pyramid which equals 365 - the days of the year

• Click here to learn more about The Temple of Kukulcan (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located in Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower was designed as part of a competition for a monument to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution - this anniversary was also part of the International Exposition of 1889

The Eiffel Tower was designed by a bridge engineer named Gustave Eiffel - he also designed the structure of the interior of the Statue of Liberty

The Eiffel Tower is 984 feet tall and was the tallest manmade structure in the world until the Chrysler Building was completed on New York in 1929

Symbolism:

• The Eiffel Tower was the entryway to the International Exposition - it was a symbol representing the strength of French industry and engineering

Click here to learn more about The Eiffel Tower (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located in Abu Simbel, Egypt

Completed in 1265 BC, the Great Temple at Abu Simbel took 20 years to complete and was finished when Rameses II had been Pharaoh for 24 years

The temple is carved from sandstone and had been buried for hundreds of years - it was rediscovered in 1813

Symbolism:

• The four statues each represent Rameses II

• There are smaller statues at his feet that represent his children and his wife, Nefertari

Click here to learn more about The Great Temple of Rameses II (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

This two acre memorial is located in Washington, D.C.

It was designed by American architect Maya Lin and it was completed in 1983

The memorial consists of this statue of three American soldiers, as well as two 247 ft long granite panels - these panels have the names of the American soldiers who died in the Vietnam War carved into them

Symbolism:

• The memorial is made of black granite that reflects the image of the viewer - this is done to form a connection between the viewer and the deceased

• The statue of the three soldiers depicts an African-American soldier, a caucasian soldier, and a Hispanic soldier

• The three soldiers are standing and seemingly "watch over" the wall

Click here to learn more about The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Both are located in Washington, D.C.

The Washington Monument is a 555 ft tall obelisk that honors President George Washington

Construction was completed in 1884

Symbolism of the Washington Monument:

• The obelisk is a classic symbol that represents timelessness

• The size of the monument represents the awe and respect that Americans have for George Washington

• Click here to learn more about The Washington Monument (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

The World War II Memorial was completed in 2004

The memorial consists of 56 pillars, two arches, and a fountain

The monument also contains scenes of events from World War II as well as 4,048 gold stars

Symbolism of the World War II Memorial:

• The pillars represent the states, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

• The two large archways represent the two main areas where the United Sates fought - the Atlantic area and the Pacific area

• Each of the 4,048 gold stars represents 100 Americans who died during the war

Click here to learn more about The World War II Memorial (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located in Lisbon, Portugal

This monument is located near the port where Portuguese explorers left during the 1400s and 1500s to trade with people in India and the Orient

Completed in 1958

Prince Henry, the Navigator is shown at the start of the statues - there are 16 other statues on both sides of the monument representing men who assisted in Portugal's explorations throughout the world

Symbolism:

• The raised portion of the monument represents the bow (front) of a ship

• The figures are meant to feel like they are moving towards the ocean - to discovery

• The arches represent the sails of a ship

Click here to learn more about The Monument of the Discoveries (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located in Washington, D.C.

This monument was sculpted by Lei Yixin and was completed in 2011

The inspiration for this monument's design came from a line from King's "I Have a Dream" speech: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."

King is 30 ft tall in this monument

Symbolism:

• King emerging from the rock echoes the line from his speech

• The location of this monument points King's vision towards a body of water, symbolic of him looking to the future

• The official address of this monument is 1964 Independence Avenue, SW - 1964 is a reference to the 1964 Civil Rights Act

Click here to learn more about The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located in Arlington County, Virginia - it is just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

The sculpture was completed in 1954 and is inspired by an actual event shown in the black-and-white photograph - Marines raising an American flag in Iwo Jima during World War II

The figures are 32 feet tall and are made of bronze

Click here to learn more about The Marine Corps War Memorial (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)

Located in St. Louis, Missouri

The arch is 630 ft tall and 630 ft wide and was completed in 1965

Gateway Arch is a monument to the western expansion fo the United States

Gateway Arch is the largest monument in the United States and is covered in stainless steel

The public can access the top of the monument through a special elevator

Symbolism:

• It has become a symbol of the city of St. Louis

• It represents the pioneering spirit of pioneers heading to the west

• It represents the gateway to the west

Click here to learn more about the Gateway Arch (please note that this is an outside website and I am not responsible for its content)