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Questions and Answers
Who designed the Lincoln Memorial?
Who designed the Lincoln Memorial?
What significant event happened on May 30, 1922?
What significant event happened on May 30, 1922?
What materials were used for the seated statue of Lincoln inside the memorial?
What materials were used for the seated statue of Lincoln inside the memorial?
How many columns does the Lincoln Memorial have?
How many columns does the Lincoln Memorial have?
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Which two paintings by Jules Guerin are featured on the ceiling of the Lincoln Memorial?
Which two paintings by Jules Guerin are featured on the ceiling of the Lincoln Memorial?
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What controversial aspect surrounded the dedication ceremonies of the Lincoln Memorial?
What controversial aspect surrounded the dedication ceremonies of the Lincoln Memorial?
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What important speeches are inscribed inside the Lincoln Memorial?
What important speeches are inscribed inside the Lincoln Memorial?
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Which two states are commemorated with plaques at the Lincoln Memorial due to their later admission to the Union?
Which two states are commemorated with plaques at the Lincoln Memorial due to their later admission to the Union?
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What is the height of each column in the Lincoln Memorial?
What is the height of each column in the Lincoln Memorial?
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What is the primary virtue honored by the Lincoln Memorial?
What is the primary virtue honored by the Lincoln Memorial?
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Which notable figure participated in the dedication ceremony of the Lincoln Memorial?
Which notable figure participated in the dedication ceremony of the Lincoln Memorial?
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What does the memorial's colonnade list above it?
What does the memorial's colonnade list above it?
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Which architectural structure did the Lincoln Memorial's design draw inspiration from?
Which architectural structure did the Lincoln Memorial's design draw inspiration from?
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What was the height of the seated statue of Lincoln in the memorial?
What was the height of the seated statue of Lincoln in the memorial?
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Who delivered addresses at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial?
Who delivered addresses at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial?
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Which part of the United States is the Lincoln Memorial directly aligned with?
Which part of the United States is the Lincoln Memorial directly aligned with?
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How many pieces was the statue of Lincoln assembled from?
How many pieces was the statue of Lincoln assembled from?
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What was the major issue raised by the speaker of the House regarding the memorial's location?
What was the major issue raised by the speaker of the House regarding the memorial's location?
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What was the primary architectural style of the Lincoln Memorial?
What was the primary architectural style of the Lincoln Memorial?
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Which statement accurately reflects the memorial's historical importance?
Which statement accurately reflects the memorial's historical importance?
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What role did Senator Shelby M. Cullom play in the establishment of the Lincoln Memorial?
What role did Senator Shelby M. Cullom play in the establishment of the Lincoln Memorial?
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Which artist created the statue of Abraham Lincoln featured in the memorial?
Which artist created the statue of Abraham Lincoln featured in the memorial?
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How many statues were initially proposed to crown the memorial designed by Clark Mills?
How many statues were initially proposed to crown the memorial designed by Clark Mills?
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Who painted the interior murals of the Lincoln Memorial?
Who painted the interior murals of the Lincoln Memorial?
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Which of the following speeches is inscribed inside the Lincoln Memorial?
Which of the following speeches is inscribed inside the Lincoln Memorial?
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What significant event took place at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963?
What significant event took place at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963?
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What was the originally proposed design of the Lincoln Memorial that faced criticism?
What was the originally proposed design of the Lincoln Memorial that faced criticism?
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What was the outcome of the first five bills proposed for the memorial's commission?
What was the outcome of the first five bills proposed for the memorial's commission?
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What inscription is above Lincoln's statue in the memorial?
What inscription is above Lincoln's statue in the memorial?
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Which change was made to the statue of Lincoln during the construction of the memorial?
Which change was made to the statue of Lincoln during the construction of the memorial?
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Who dedicated the Lincoln Memorial on May 30, 1922?
Who dedicated the Lincoln Memorial on May 30, 1922?
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What significant event took place at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963?
What significant event took place at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963?
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What was the original purpose of the Lincoln Memorial site as designated in the McMillan Plan of 1901?
What was the original purpose of the Lincoln Memorial site as designated in the McMillan Plan of 1901?
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How did the design of the Lincoln Memorial's columns address perspective distortions?
How did the design of the Lincoln Memorial's columns address perspective distortions?
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What was a notable aspect of the audience arrangement during the Lincoln Memorial's dedication ceremony?
What was a notable aspect of the audience arrangement during the Lincoln Memorial's dedication ceremony?
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What material was primarily used in the construction of the Lincoln Memorial?
What material was primarily used in the construction of the Lincoln Memorial?
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How was the Lincoln Memorial perceived during the Civil Rights Movement?
How was the Lincoln Memorial perceived during the Civil Rights Movement?
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What do the 36 columns of the Lincoln Memorial represent?
What do the 36 columns of the Lincoln Memorial represent?
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What is the height of the statue of Lincoln within the memorial?
What is the height of the statue of Lincoln within the memorial?
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Which artist was responsible for the ornamentation on the friezes and cornices of the Lincoln Memorial?
Which artist was responsible for the ornamentation on the friezes and cornices of the Lincoln Memorial?
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What type of structure artfully surrounds the entrance steps of the Lincoln Memorial?
What type of structure artfully surrounds the entrance steps of the Lincoln Memorial?
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What do the 48 stone festoons above the columns of the Lincoln Memorial represent?
What do the 48 stone festoons above the columns of the Lincoln Memorial represent?
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What element within the murals at the Lincoln Memorial represents Eternity?
What element within the murals at the Lincoln Memorial represents Eternity?
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How long did it take to complete the statue of Lincoln inside the memorial?
How long did it take to complete the statue of Lincoln inside the memorial?
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What modification was made to the Lincoln Memorial's ceiling in 1929?
What modification was made to the Lincoln Memorial's ceiling in 1929?
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What common legend is associated with Lincoln's statue hands?
What common legend is associated with Lincoln's statue hands?
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What feature is present directly beneath the statue of Lincoln?
What feature is present directly beneath the statue of Lincoln?
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What historical significance do the graffiti scrawled by workers in the undercroft hold?
What historical significance do the graffiti scrawled by workers in the undercroft hold?
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What feature is expected in the renovated undercroft of the Lincoln Memorial?
What feature is expected in the renovated undercroft of the Lincoln Memorial?
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What notable aspect did the Park Service implement regarding filming at the Lincoln Memorial as of 2017?
What notable aspect did the Park Service implement regarding filming at the Lincoln Memorial as of 2017?
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What apparent error occurred regarding the inscription in the Lincoln Memorial?
What apparent error occurred regarding the inscription in the Lincoln Memorial?
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Which film featured a key scene at the Lincoln Memorial, despite initial objections from the Park Service?
Which film featured a key scene at the Lincoln Memorial, despite initial objections from the Park Service?
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How has the Lincoln Memorial been represented in popular culture?
How has the Lincoln Memorial been represented in popular culture?
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Which character is inspired by the Lincoln Memorial in Frank Capra's film?
Which character is inspired by the Lincoln Memorial in Frank Capra's film?
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What is the expected size of the visitor area in the undercroft renovation?
What is the expected size of the visitor area in the undercroft renovation?
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How did the appearance of the Lincoln Memorial impact film location scouting?
How did the appearance of the Lincoln Memorial impact film location scouting?
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What unique feature is planned for the redesigned undercroft to enhance visitor experience?
What unique feature is planned for the redesigned undercroft to enhance visitor experience?
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Study Notes
Lincoln Memorial - Washington D.C.
- Designed by Henry Bacon, modeled after the Parthenon.
- Constructed on reclaimed marshland along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
- Initially met with opposition from House Speaker Joseph Cannon, who described the location as a "damned swamp."
- Cornerstone laid in 1915, dedicated in 1922 before over 50,000 people, including Robert Todd Lincoln (Lincoln's son).
- President Warren G. Harding and former President William Howard Taft delivered speeches.
- Dedication ceremony was segregated, with prominent African Americans assigned a segregated section (Robert Moton, president of Tuskegee Institute, was barred from the speaker's platform).
- First public memorial to Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C. was a statue by Lot Flannery erected in 1868.
- Demands for a national memorial had been expressed since Lincoln's death.
- Congress passed numerous bills, with opposition from Speaker Joe Cannon. A successful bill (Senate Bill 9449) was introduced and passed in 1910.
- The commission's president was William H. Taft, who played a vital role in the progress of the project.
- Questions arose about the project's design and location, with some favoring a simpler log cabin design and citing concerns about the swampy nature of the site.
- The McMillan Plan of 1901 already designated the West Potomac Park site for a significant monument, such as one on par with the Washington Monument.
- Groundbreaking ceremony occurred on February 12, 1914, with the memorial being completed on schedule (despite changes such as replacing the planned grille with an open portal), and dedicated on May 30, 1922.
- Lincoln's only surviving son, 78-year-old Robert Todd Lincoln attended the ceremony.
- The memorial was dedicated by President William Taft (who was Chief Justice).
- Presented to President Warren G. Harding who accepted it on behalf of the American people.
Architectural Features
- Composed of 36 Colorado Yule marble columns, representing the Union states at Lincoln's death (1865).
- Each column is 44 feet (13.4 meters) tall and has a base diameter of 7.5 feet (2.3 meters), constructed from 12 drums including the capital.
- Names of the 36 union states (and later the 48 states; Hawaii and Alaska's names are on a plaque on the steps) with their admission dates are listed above and in the colonnades.
- A 19-foot (5.8 metre) statue of Lincoln, made from Georgia white marble, sits inside, comprising 28 separate pieces resting on a Tennessee marble pedestal. Sculpted by Daniel Chester French; carved by Piccirilli Brothers.
- Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address are inscribed on the walls.
- Two paintings by Jules Guerin (Reunion and Progress, Emancipation of a Race) adorn the ceiling.
- Located on the Reflecting Pool, near war memorials (Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial), on a direct east-west axis with the Washington Monument and Capitol building, at the western end of the Mall.
- The Memorial is in a neoclassical style; a classical temple.
- Dimensions: 189.7 by 118.5 feet (57.8 by 36.1 meters), 99 feet (30 meters) tall.
- Exterior includes a peristyle of fluted Doric columns; two in-antis at the entrance.
- The building has three chambers created by two rows of four Ionic columns, each measuring 50 feet (15 m) tall and 5.5 feet (1.7 m) across at their base.
Historical Significance
- The Memorial served as a profoundly important site during the American Civil Rights Movement.
- Marian Anderson performed on the steps in 1939 after being denied a performance at Constitution Hall, with the support of Eleanor Roosevelt.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech there in 1963 to over 200,000 people, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
- The Memorial has been a major tourist attraction and has occasionally been used a symbolic center focused on race relations and civil rights from 1922.
- There is an undercroft with graffiti and asbestos concerns, which is currently under renovation to become a visitor area with a museum, theater, store, and exhibit section.
- The Memorial has been featured in over 60 films and has been parodied in popular culture, appearing on the back of the U.S. five-dollar bill.
- The memorial's exterior reflects a classic Greek temple, and features ornamentation by Ernest C. Bairstow.
- The memorial features an epitaph of Lincoln by Royal Cortissoz, as well as inscriptions of the Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address.
- State names and dates of admission to the Union are inscribed on the exterior.
- Mural by Jules Guerin portraying various principles of Lincoln's life are present on the walls.
- The 19-foot Lincoln statue rests on a Tennessee marble pedestal.
- Some errors exist in the memorial: Ohio's date was incorrectly inscribed (as 1802 instead of 1803), and a letter in Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address was incorrect (an "E" instead of an "F"). These errors were somewhat obscured by not completely painting the incorrect letters.
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Description
Test your knowledge about the iconic Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. This quiz covers the memorial's history, architectural features, and significant events surrounding its dedication. Learn about the symbolism behind its design and the commemorative elements included within.
