Tag: Benjamin Franklin

The White House

Sixteen-hundred Pennsylvania Avenue is among the most famous addresses in the United States. The 132-room home and workplace has also been known as the Presidents House and the Executive Mansion, but since 1902 its officially been called the White House.

When George Washington was President, government meetings were held in various cities. He and Martha Washington kept two homes in New York and one in Pennsylvania. Seeing the need for a federal city, the President and Congress agreed in 1790 to the Residence Act. This provided for a district not exceeding ten miles squareon the river Potomac. The new federal city would be designed by Pierre L’Enfant, and the city planner would hold a blueprints contest for the Presidents house.

James Hoban, an Irishman living in South Carolina, won the competition with a classic Georgian design. (Thomas Jefferson was also among the entrants; he competed under a pseudonym.) Hoban based the building on a dukes palace in Ireland.

Two states, Maryland and Virginia, ceded land for the new federal district. Both were slaveholding states, and slaves broke ground for the home. The work was completed by European immigrants. The new house wasnt built in time for the Washingtons to move in; John and Abigail Adams were the first to take up residence in 1800.

The building has undergone countless changes since the years of John and Abigail Adams. Interior redecorating and structural changes started with the next resident President, Thomas Jefferson. He ordered French furniture and French wallpaper, and he added space outdoors to conceal stables and storage. Other Presidents would make even larger additions: Theodore Roosevelt — who had six children and required more space contributed the West Wing; and FDR added the East Wing during World War II to conceal construction of an underground bunker.

Each Administrations time at the White House brought something new, but here are some of the more notable changes:

* British soldiers burnt the building in 1814 during James Madisons presidency. Most of the home and its contents were destroyed by fire. A thunderstorm saved outside walls, and Dolley Madison rescued a famous portrait of George Washington. The architect James Hoban was available for renovations.
* The White House needed an extensive washing after 20,000 muddy partiers celebrated Andrew Jacksons inauguration. Jackson soon installed running water. He also planted magnolia trees and made plans for later landscaping.
* James Garfield installed the first elevator.
* Harry Truman extensively renovated the whole house and added a second porch. He also added basements for wartime safety.
* The White House was made more wheelchair-accessible during FDRs service. A pool was also added in consideration of his physical challenges.
* Richard Nixon cemented over the FDR pool to create a Press Briefing Room.
* Jacquelyn Kennedy directed the most extensive and historically accurate White House restoration. She also planted a flower garden.
* Rosalynn Carter contributed an Office of the First Lady.

Today the White House Complex consists of six stories and 55,000 square feet of space. The Executive Residence spans several floors. Two basement levels also provide storage, service areas, and a bomb shelter for the Presidents family. The West Wing holds executive offices including the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room, and the Situation Room. The East Wing is home to offices for the First Lady, White House correspondence staff, and other White House staff members.

Some of the interior is visible to the public, but tours must be pre-arranged by a member of Congress. Visitors might tour the State Floor, where several rooms are simply named by color: the Green Room, Red Room, and Blue Room. The Green Room is named for the moss green silk that lines its walls. Its used for informal meetings and photo opportunities with foreign political leaders. Famous Green Room paintings depict Benjamin Franklin, John Quincy Adams, and Abigail Adams. The Red Room is decorated like an early-1800s parlor with a marble mantel. The Blue Room is the White Houses most formal setting. Its shaped like an oval and is furnished with gilded furniture. This is where the White House Christmas tree is traditionally placed. Visitors might also see the Map Room, the State Dining Room, or the famous Lincoln Bedroom.

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The Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a familiar symbol of independence,
freedom, and justice in America. Originally called the State House Bell, it was
commissioned in 1751 by colonial representatives. The bell has been tolled on important
days from the colonial era to modern times. After enduring cracks, repairs, and an
exciting hideout from the British, the bell is now on display. It is rung every Fourth of
July.
In 1751, three men representing the Pennsylvania Assembly wrote a letter to their
colonial agent in London. On the fiftieth anniversary of William Penns Charter of
Privileges, they requested a bell for Philadelphias State House steeple. The agent
arranged for casting at Londons Whitechapel foundry, and the bell was delivered in
1752.
The bell was met with much excitement. First of all, it weighed an impressive 2,080
pounds! More importantly, it was a solid, solemn symbol of what the Pennsylvania
Assembly hoped to uphold. William Penn had been especially progressive with religious
freedom, Native American rights, and democracy overall. The bell was inscribed with a
Biblical passage to capture this spirit: Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all
the inhabitants thereof.
However, early on the bell cracked! Historians disagree about the source of the fissure. In
any case, the London foundry set about casting another bell. Meanwhile, two
Philadelphia men (John Pass and John Stow) attempted to repair the one that had cracked.
They figured that the alloy had been too brittle, so they added more copper. This healed
the wound, but people disliked the bells new tone. (They were aiming for a pleasant E
note.) The men tried again, and their second attempt was hung in the State House in
1753. When the re-ordered British bell arrived, it was placed elsewhere in the State
House to sound the hours. Today, the State House is known as Independence Hall.
The State House bell was rung on many famous occasions in US history. It called the
Assembly together and summoned townspeople for special announcements. It tolled
when Benjamin Franklin headed for England to address colonists grievances; it tolled for
discussion of the Sugar Act in 1764 and again for the Stamp Act in 1765; and it rang
again for the First Continental Congress in 1774. The bell continued to signal important
events, and many events were deemed important during the Revolution. A group of
citizens who lived near the bell actually petitioned for less tolling, stating that they were
inconvenienced and stressed!
Suddenly, in 1777, the citys bells were all removed. The British would soon be
occupying Philadelphia, and surely theyd melt the bells for cannon fodder. The State
House bell and more than a dozen others were moved to Zions Reformed Church in
Allentown, Pennsylvania for safekeeping. They remained hidden beneath church
floorboards until after the occupation in 1778. After its reemergence, the bell continued
to sound for important events such as elections and the Fourth of July.
It was referred to as the Independence Bell or the Old Yankees Bell until 1837 when
abolitionists noted its relevance to slavery and freedom. The bells Leviticus inscription
can be interpreted as a call to end enslavement. For example, the entire passage from
Leviticus 25:10 includes, And ye shall proclaim liberty throughout the land and ye
shall return every man unto his family. Abolitionists adopted the bell as their symbol,
and since then its been known as the Liberty Bell.
By 1846, the Liberty Bell had developed a thin crack that was affecting its sound. It was
repaired in time for George Washingtons birthday that year, but when rung on his
birthday, it cracked severely. A replica Centennial Ball was given to the city in 1876.
The original bell is now on display in a new pavilion, the Liberty Bell Center. The
Centennial replica is hung in the steeple of Independence Hall, and a third bell the
Bicentennial Ball granted by Queen Elizabeth — hangs in a nearby tower. The original
bell is still rung, though gently, every July 4th. Young descendents of famous
revolutionaries are invited to tap the bell thirteen times in celebration of the original
thirteen states.
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