Monument Dbq

According to my research I completed the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial it is 252 feet long by 71 feet wide by 44 feet high and is a monumental sculpture (Langley). The figure of Grant mounted on his horse forms the monument’s top pedestal. Four lions, appear to guarding two flags, mark the corners of an imaginary pyramid’s base and visually align with the life-size Cavalry Group on the north and Artillery Group on the south. The symmetry and simplicity of the classically styled platform provide an effective stage for the heightened realism of the bronze components.

The responsibility of designing and building a monument is no small feat. After all, the end product is meant to memorialize important, and sometimes tragic events and/or people that have significantly contributed something to society. How does one begin to plan a memorial in the first place? Certainly, it can not be rushed, and can be a very grueling process. Several things need to be considered, including determining the proper location of a monument that suits the people who see it. One must also consider the intended audience and what the monument represents. Of course the simplicity or complexity of the monument structure must also be determined. Along with that, monument builders need to consider the positive and/or negative affects on people viewing the monument. In short, there are three main things that need to be considered when debating how, or even if, to make a monument.

Monuments are important in keeping history in the present. The viewer experiences the emotions and actions in that specific part of time. Some monuments have awkward locations or the people chosen are unsuitable to represent the time. Any group or agency must consider who the person is and where the monument’s location should be before publically displaying it.

Not all statues you see are all the similar size. Such as the Iwo Jima memorial, is a decent size statue, about the men placing the American flag. A person talking about a memorial and “taking a knife and cutting into the earth…” and write all the names of the people who fought in the Vietnam War makes something to remember the American history (Lin). Although her drawings included the Washington Monument, which points straight at it, she believed that placing in the middle between those monuments best-fit to include this Vietnam Memorial. What is meaningful about this memorial is the granite surface and its reflection looking at yourself, seeing yourself what the people see you versus the reality and

The Monument Men of World War 2 thought of ingenious ways to save and preserve the art work, for instance they buried some rare books and art in a metal box in the ground. Even more amazing they saved the roof of the Sistine Chapel from a bombing run. First they took the roof down, and then they started to put scaffolding around it. Then they put rebar up, and then they poured the cement in, it created a concrete casing. Without them we wouldn’t have the Sistine chapel’s roof.

People can honor a historical figure or event in various ways, such as a film or museum. People may also memorialize events or people with a monument. Monuments help remember great moments of achievement and they pay homage to deep sacrifice. When creating a monument to commemorate a person or event, a group or agency should consider the factors of location, size, and material.

Accordingly, people raise monuments, create memorials, secure antiques, and fund museums to record and preserve the past events in a country. In accordance with the Merriam Webster dictionary, monuments are structures erected in commemoration of a distinguishable person or event. Nowhere in the definition it is stated that the matter in remembrance has to be praised or is considered a model for the society. As a matter of fact, they only portray people or events that should be remembered, no matter if they are regarded as admirable or detestable. Each and everyone of these objects should be maintained in public view to remind people of their past, especially those from the catastrophic Civil

There are various ways to commemorate a person or an event. The commemoration could either be a picture, a book, a special day, or a monument. Monuments are created to honor a famous person or a historic event. But before state/federal agencies or local communities start building a monument, there are some factors they should take into consideration. Including; the location, the cost, historical background, nature, and the significance of the monument, as well as the community’s perception about the monument.

The subject of monument or monumentality is a subject not foreign to the architectural discourse. While the past generations built monuments to mainly commemorate war leaders or war victories, we question ourselves if we still need these monuments now. Peter Carrier explained “monuments are focal points of a complex dialogue between the past and present, between historical events, producers, or monuments and successive generations of spectators who inquire into the significance of the past on the basis of historical artifacts.” [1] In 1938, Lewis Mumford proclaimed the death of monuments explaining that “the very notion of a modern monument is a contradiction in terms: if it is a monument, it cannot be modern, and if it is modern it cannot be a monument.” [2] There is some truth to the claim.

A meticulously designed monument is more appealing to the eye, and a more memorable one, because the first thing you notice about a monument is it’s appearance. The Lincoln Memorial, as said by Kirk Savage in Monument Wars (source A), “is pure representation -- a colossal marble statue and the text of two speeches carved on enormous panels, all housed in a neoclassical temple…” Who would forget a “colossal” monument with a beautiful design aesthetic, marble, hand carvings, all in an isolated area. Less than a minute away from Lincoln, you have the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Maya Lin truly designed an elaborate monument, she knew exactly what she wanted and did an outstanding job. Every little detail counted, “The black granite walls, each two hundred feet long, and ten feet below ground at their lowest point (gradually ascending toward ground level) effectively act as a sound barrier, yet are of such height and length so as not to appear threatening or enclosing. The actual area is wide and shallow, allowing for a sense of privacy, and the sunlight from the memorial’s southern exposure along with the grassy park surrounding and within its walls, contribute to the serenity of the area.” (vvmf.org). As Maya Lin said in another online article for the New York Review, “Making the Memorial”, “I chose black granite in order to make the surface reflective and peaceful… The mirrored effect would double the size of

One of the most important factors when considering design is location. Poor placement of monuments could result in criticism, confusion, and rebellion. For example, the placement of Mt. Rushmore; where the faces of historical figures are carved into the side of the same hills the Sioux were forced out of (source C, Downes). Because memorials are intended to be educational and honorable, “It’s not surprising that immediate and intense controversy erupted when plans were publicized to build a Holocaust museum, on The Mall in Washington, D.C.” (source E, Musser).

Human beings crave the need to construct monuments in order to memorialize significant events. Monuments honor grand achievements but they also show pay homage to someone who made a grave sacrifice. To build a monument you must take into consideration its size, location, and materials before you construct it. There should be specific guidelines to building a monument to honor a person or event. A statue or memorial should not be built just for the sheer enjoyment. There should also be restrictions on where you can place a statue. For example, Christine Musser stated “...but is The Mall in Washington, D.C. the proper place for a museum that is dedicated to victims and survivors of the Holocaust” (source E)?

Monuments are structures dedicated to achievement, or terrible loss. They immortalize events and people to be remembered for centuries. All factors of monuments, such as: size, location, and materials, are all in contemplation while a monument that will last over the years under creation. A memorial's size can determine the importance on the event or person, or overwhelm or underwhelm other monuments created. Location determines who the monument potentially means the most to and the materials hold it together so can stand in the location unharmed for a long time.

The Washington Monument is one of the most important monuments because it’s a monument for our first president, George Washington! I remember learning about George Washington in history class and something that stuck with me was that he said not to split into two political parties. Unfortunately, we did not listen and here we are voting every 4 or 8 years for a new president! I remember visiting the Washington Monument with my family when I was younger and I was amazing to see that the monument was in 2 different colors! This is because the National Washington Monument Society did not have enough money to complete the monument (National Park Service, 5.) In 1884 the U.S. Government took hold of the project and used a marble from a different

The first thing we should think about before carving a statue into stone for remembrance is the location. The location is very important because people need to be aware of where it is. For example, source C tells us about a great leader named Crazy Horse. His memorial