Thanksgiving in VA: Temple of Liberty

On my list of things to be thankful for is my country. I believe it was divinely inspired for so many great minds and spirits to be involved in the creation of The United States of America. Our nations Capital is inspiring. Each time I drive across the Potomac and see the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol and Jefferson Memorial...I am in awe. I feel so patriotic and grateful! I've always loved my country and always loved Washington D.C....but I think we (including myself) take our freedoms and Constitution for granted. My mind thinks back to my AP American History class and I realize so many people take such a class in school and don't ever think about it again! As my boys have gotten to an age where they are learning about these founding fathers coliding in time with politics veering away from founding priciples I have felt the need make sure they know about all the great men and women who have built our rich history. I want my boys to have this history engrained in their souls!

I've always loved the U.S. Capitol. The exterior of the Dome is so creamy white against the blue sky. It is just beautiful! The inside is breathtaking. It is fantastic. The Capitol has built a new underground museum and theater for tours of the Capitol. They show a movie before you begin your tour (similar to what they've done in Mount Vernon - what a great idea...it's so inpiring!) Anyhow, in this movie I heard them call the rotunda (inside the dome) The Temple of Liberty. If I have learned this term before to refer to the rotunda I had forgotten. The term originated with George Washington himself although George Washington never lived to see the Capitol completed although he approved the first design in 1793. Due to the partial burning of the Capitol in the War of 1812 and a dramatic expansion the Capitol has been altered over the years, but the dome and rotunda were completed to how we see it today in 1863. President Abraham Lincoln pushed to complete the dome during the Civil War because he knew that a completed U.S. Capitol with it's grandeur would unite the country.

I'm proud to be an American!

I am grateful for the founding fathers who created a divine government!



Scott in the Library of Congress ~ another beautiful building! No pictures allowed in the main reading room ~ bummer. This was a quick visit inspired by Scott's reading of Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol."