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2 Welcome Global Travelers! Our American Heritage programs are designed to show you as much as possible. This guide will give you a brief overview into a few of the places you will see. This is a once in lifetime chance to learn about America; our history, our government, and what they mean to you. This is your chance! Learn a lot, be safe, have fun, take pictures, and keep your eyes and ears open to the sights, sounds, and history all around you.

3 Page 1 Table of Contents Page 2 About New York City Page 3 Ellis Island Page 4 Statue of Liberty Page 5 Empire State Building Page 6 Times Square Page 7 Wall Street & NY Stock Exchange Page 8 Federal Hall; Brooklyn Bridge Page 9 Central Park; South Street Seaport Historic District Page 10 Ground Zero ; Rockefeller Center Page 11 St. Patrick s Cathedral; Chinatown & Little Italy Page 12 Trinity Church & St. Paul s Chapel Page 14 About Boston Page 15 Bunker Hill & Monument; Granary Burying Ground Page 16 Paul Revere & Revere House Page 17 Old North Church; Feneuil Hall & Marketplace Page 18 Old State House Museum; Massachusetts Capitol Building Page 19 The Battles of Lexington & Concord Page 20 Plimoth Plantation Page 21 U.S.S. Constitution

4 Page 2 About New York City New York City is made up of five boroughs. Brooklyn and Queens occupy the western portion of Long Island, which Staten Island and Manhattan are completely on their own land masses. The Bronx, to the north, is attached to the New York State mainland. New York City Trivia Did you know that New York City was briefly the U.S. capital (from )? By 1790 it was the largest U.S. city. It was also the state capital until It was the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, linking it with the Great Lakes, that led to even greater expansion and the ultimate creation of the five boroughs. Can you name the other U.S. capital cities?

5 Ellis Island is famous as that little island off of New York where all the immigrants to the United States were processed. In fact, prior to the Revolutionary War, the island had many different names - including Gull Island, Oyster Island and, after a group of pirates were hung on the island, Gigget Island! Shortly before the Revolutionary War, the island was acquired by Samuel Ellis, a New York merchant. He ran a small tavern on the island to cater to everyone - primarily fishermen - who made their living on the waters in and around the island. Samuel s heirs sold the island to the State of New York in 1808, and the State sold it to the federal government later that year. In 1890, Congress built the first Federal Immigration station on the Island. While the immigration station was being built, all the waste from building the New York City subway tunnels was dumped at Ellis Island, doubling its size. The Ellis Island Immigration Station was officially opened on January 1, The first immigrant to pass through the gates was Annie Moore, a 15-year-old from Ireland. In fact, on that first day 700 immigrants were processed and in its first year, it processed almost 450,000 immigrants. By 1924, Ellis Island had gone from being the place where immigrants were welcomed to America to the place where illegal immigrants were held until they could be deported back to their home countries. In 1954 it was decommissioned from use. Page 3

6 Page 4 The Statue of Liberty was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom. Many people don t know that the creation of the statue was a joint effort between the two countries - Americans would build the pedestal and the French would build the statue in honor of the centennial of the Declaration of Independence. Timeline 1876: Sculptor, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi began creating the right arm and torch, which were exhibited at Philadelphia s Centennial Exposition. 1877: The 42-foot-high sculpture was placed in Madison Square Park to raise funds for the construction of the pedestal. The arm and torch remained in the park for seven years. Meanwhile, the head and shoulders were publicly displayed in France to encourage donations. The Statue was completed in France. All 300 pieces of the Statue arrived in New York; assembly took four months and Lady Liberty was placed upon her newly-completed granite pedestal on Bedloe s Island (renamed Liberty Island in 1956). 1886: President Grover Cleveland unveiled and dedicated the Statue of Liberty to thousands of spectators. 1903: Emma Lazarus poem Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free was inscribed on a bronze tablet laid in the statue s pedestal. Trivia Question: The Statue of Liberty has a twin, but where is it? Hint: It looks toward the Atlantic Ocean and toward it s larger sister in New York Harbor.

7 Page 5 Empire State Building Here are some cool things to know about New York s most famous skyscraper: Great Heights: The Empire State Building became the world s tallest skyscraper in Since 2005, it s been the 9th tallest building in the world at 102 stories! Blimp Parking: The building is topped by a mooring mast for blimps, which were the latest trend in air travel in However, only one blimp ever docked there, on September 16, 1931, before the idea was abandoned because it was too dangerous. Tragedy in 1945: On July 28, 1945, the Empire State Building was the site of a tragedy when a small plane crashed into the 79th floor, killing the plane s two passengers and eleven people inside the building. Movie Star: The Empire State Building s most memorable movie role was as King Kong s plaything! It also played a romantic lead in An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle and has made an appearance in many other memorable films. What s really inside the Empire State Building? Find out during your trip and write your answer here:

8 Page 6 Times Square is the most bustling square of New York and is known for its many Broadway theatres, cinemas and supersigns. It is one of those places that make New York a city that never sleeps. At the start of World War I, Times Square was the center of the Theatre district and attracted a large number of visitors. This made the square an ideal place for billboards. Over the decades, billboards have become such a tourist attraction for the area that zoning now requires that buildings be covered with billboards! Mickey Mouse to the rescue! In the late 1960 s, the Times Square area started to go downhill and by the mid-70 s was a place most tourists avoided altogether because it had become a seedy, crime-ridden and drug-infested area. This all changed a decade later when the Walt Disney Company opened a Disney store on Times Square. This attracted more family-friendly businesses to the area, leading to a so-called Disneyfication. The area is once again a magnet for tourists and a center of New York s social scene.

9 Page 7 Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange The Narrow 18th-century lane that comprises Wall Street is lined with neoclassical towers that reach skyward, just as the dreams and greed of the investors who built it into the world s most famous financial market. One of the Financial District s most famous symbols is the 7,000 pound Charging Bull statue (the bull represents a constantly rising market, known as a bull market), created as a token of optimism. At the intersection of Wall and Broad streets, the NY Stock Exchange is impossible to miss. The neo-classical building, designed by architect George B. Post. opened on April 22, It has six Corinthian columns supporting a pediment with a sculpture titled Integrity Protecting the Works of Man, featuring a tribute to the then-sources of American prosperity: Agriculture and Mining to the left of Integrity; Science, Industry, and Invention to the right. Trivia Question: The NY Stock Exchange was one of the world's first buildings with what cool invention?

10 Page 8 Federal Hall It s a museum now, but this site has a most notable claim - George Washington was sworn in here as the first president of the United States in 1789, when the building was Federal Hall of the new nation. Federal Hall later became City Hall, then was demolished in 1812 when the present City Hall was completed. The new museum covers 400 years of New York City s history, with a focus on the life and times of what is now the city s Financial District. You can spot this building easily - it s modeled on the Parthenon, and a statue of George Washington is planted front & center on the steps. Brooklyn Bridge When it opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world, the first steel-wire suspension bridge, and the first bridge to connect to Long Island. Fun Trivia: Con man, William McCloundy, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for selling the Brooklyn Bridge to a tourist in 1901!

11 Page 9 Central Park is a green oasis amidst the concrete high-rise landscape of New York City. Its 843 acres include 136 acres of woodlands, 250 acres of lawns, 7 ponds and lakes, and 21 playgrounds. Central Park was the first public park built in America and is completely man-made. It took 15 years and over $14 million to build. Famous landmarks within Central Park include Tavern on the Green, Belvedere Castle, the Carousel and The Central Park Zoo. More than 25 million visitors enjoy Central park each year! South Street Seaport When you visit the South Street Seaport, you ll get in touch with Old New York. Several hundred years ago, the district served as the main trade and business center for Manhattan. Now visitors can wander through the cobblestone streets and 19th Century brick buildings and find a massive visitor center, shopping mall, restaurants and Pier 17, which offers stunning views of the East River.

12 Page 10 Ground Zero On the tragic day of September 11, 2001, two hijacked planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Not much later, the towers imploded. More than 2,800 people died in this act of terrorism. The site of the fallen towers - a gaping wound in the New York cityscape - became known as ground zero. Rockefeller Center Considered the crown jewel of midtown Manhattan, Rockefeller Center offers plenty of places to shop, eat, tour, or just people watch. Top of the Rock is the observation deck at the very top of the GE Building (30 Rock) and, like the Empire State Building, offers panoramic views of the city. NBC Studios has been located at 30 Rock since Maybe you ll find yourself on t.v. during a taping of the famous Today show, which is shot right across the street! Radio City Music Hall has presented live entertainment since first opening in 1932 and is most famous as the home of the Rockettes.

13 Page 11 St. Patrick s Cathedral is the largest decorated gothic-style Catholic Cathedral in the United States. Some of the splendors to be found inside include an 1868 Henry Erben pipe organ and an enormous marble altar surrounded by hand-carved niches housing a collection of glorious sacred statues. Did you know? There is a maze of mortuary vaults underneath the Cathedral. (Older residents of Little Italy recall playing hide and seek in the vaults.) The Archbishops of New York are buried in the crypt under the high altar. Their honorary hats (called galeros) hang from the ceiling over their tombs. Chinatown and Little Italy Chinatown is located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Manhattan. It offers a unique historical and cultural experience not found anywhere else in the world. Chinatown is the site of a rich history that not only tells the story of the Chinese-American experience, but also that of early Irish, Jewish and Italian immigrants. Little Italy was once known for its large population of Italians. Walking beside the narrow, cobblestoned streets beneath the fire escapes of turn-of-the-century tenements, you're tempted by the sights, sounds and smells of Italian cuisine and culture emanating from the restaurants surrounding you at every step.

14 Page 12 Trinity Church & St. Paul s Chapel The sister churches of Trinity Church and St. Paul s Chapel are two of the nation s most historic churches. Trinity Church The church, consecrated in 1846, is one of the first and finest examples of Neo-Gothic architecture in the United States. Don t miss the bronze doors at Trinity s main entrance. They feature sculpted biblical scenes and are a memorial to John Jacob Astor III, who is buried with his family in nearby Trinity Cemetery. Other major points of interest include the baptistery with its 15th century altar and the church s stained glass windows, which were made on site in a shed erected in the churchyard during the church s construction. St. Paul s Chapel Walking five blocks north on Broadway will bring you to St. Paul's Chapel. Built in 1766, St. Paul's became known as "The Little Chapel that Stood" after surviving the 2001 terror attacks unscathed, despite its proximity to the World Trade Center site. St. Paul's currently hosts an exhibit honoring the volunteers who served ground zero's recovery workers in the months after 9/11. Look up and around the ceiling - there are fourteen cut glass chandeliers originally installed in 1802 and fitted to hold candles. They were removed in 1857 when St. Paul s was lit with gas, and returned and refitted for electricity in The magnificent work of art that appears in the center of the windows behind the alter is the Glory altarpiece. Trivia Question: Who designed Glory? Hint: It was designed by the planner of Washington, D.C.

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16 Page 14 About Boston Founded on September 17, 1630, Boston is named after Boston, England, a town from which several prominent colonists originated. Boston's deep harbor and advantageous geographic position helped it to become the busiest port in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. From its founding until the 1760s, Boston was America's largest, wealthiest, and most influential city. Early colonists believed that Boston was a community with a special connection to God. Laws were formed to enforce everything from morality to marriage, church attendance, education in the Word of God, and the persecution of sinners. Puritan values of hard work, moral uprightness, and education remain a part of Boston's culture. On June 1, 1660, who was hanged on Boston Common for repeatedly defying a law banning Quakers from the colony? Hint: She is considered to be the last religious martyr in North America. Boston played a key role in the American Revolutionary War. The Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party and several of the early battles of the revolutionary war (such as the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Siege of Boston) occurred near the city. During this period, Paul Revere made his famous ride. As a result Boston is known as the Cradle of Liberty and historic sites remain a popular tourist draw to this day. Fun Trivia - In 1838, Boston, Massachusetts was the first city to establish its own police department. - The first U.S. mail route was opened in 1672 between the two cities of Boston and New York. - The oldest park in the United States is Boston Common.

17 Page 15 Bunker Hill and Monument Three misunderstandings surround this famous monument. First, the Battle of Bunker Hill was actually fought on Breed s Hill, which is where the monument sits today. (The real Bunker Hill is about 1/2 mile due north of the monument.) Second, although the battle is generally considered a success, the Americans lost! It was a victory for the British Redcoats, who sacrificed nearly half their men. And third, the famous war cry Don t fire until you see the whites of their eyes may never have been uttered by American Colonel William Prescott or General Israel Putnam; but if either of them did shout it, he was quoting an old Prussian command made necessary by the notorious inaccuracy of the musket. No matter the American s did employ a deadly delayedaction strategy on June 17, 1775 and proved themselves worthy fighters, capable of defeating the forces of the British Empire. Granary Burying Ground Established in 1660, the Granary is notable as the resting place of Boston s most famous sons. The graveyard, which now has 2,345 markers, is said to have had as many as 8,000 people buried here. Infant s Tomb #203, where an estimated 500 children are buried, is located near the central obelisk that marks the grave of Benjamin Franklin s parents. Alongside the far wall to the southwest is the elaborate marker of John Hancock s tomb. Toward the rear Paul Revere is buried. Bookend monuments in the two front corners represent James Otis and Samuel Adams. Sam Adams had the Boston Massacre victims buried in his family tomb, and so beside the marker for his tomb is one for those victims.

18 Page 16 Paul Revere and Revere House In 1775 Paul Revere was employed as an express rider to carry news, messages, and copies of resolutions as far away as New York and Philadelphia. On the evening of April 18, 1775, he was instructed to ride to Lexington, Massachusetts, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that British troops were marching to arrest them. After being rowed across the Charles River to Charlestown by two associates, Paul Revere borrowed a horse from a friend. While in Charlestown, he verified that the local "Sons of Liberty" committee had seen his pre-arranged signals - two lanterns had been hung briefly in the belltower of Christ Church in Boston (see next page), indicating that troops would row "by sea" across the Charles River to Cambridge, rather than marching "by land" out Boston Neck. Revere had arranged for these signals the previous weekend, as he was afraid that he might be prevented from leaving Boston. On the way to Lexington, Revere "alarmed" the country-side, stopping at each house, and arrived in Lexington about midnight. As he approached the house where Adams and Hancock were staying, a sentry asked that he not make so much noise. "Noise!" cried Revere, "You'll have noise enough before long. The regulars are coming out!" After delivering his message, Revere was joined by a second rider, William Dawes, who had been sent on the same errand by a different route. Deciding on their own to continue on to Concord, Massachusetts, where weapons and supplies were hidden, Revere and Dawes were joined by a third rider. What was his name? Paul Revere s House On that spring day in 1775, silversmith Paul Revere left his small wooden home in Boston s North End and set out on a journey that would make him into a legend. Today that home is still standing at 19 North Square and has become a national historic landmark. Built in 1670, It is downtown Boston s oldest building and one of the few remaining from an early era in the history of colonial America.

19 Page 17 Old North Church Standing at one end of the Paul Revere Mall is a church famous not only for being the oldest one in Boston (built in 1723) but for housing the two lanterns that glimmered from its steeple on the night of April 18, This is Christ, or Old North, Church, where Paul Revere and the young sexton Robert Newman managed that night to signal the departure by water of the British regulars to Lexington and Concord. Fun Trivia: - Inside the church is the bust of George Washington, declared by the Marquis de Lafayette to be the truest likeness of the general he ever saw. - The church clock is the oldest clock still running in an American public building. - Pew #54 belonged to the Revere family themselves. The pews are the highest in the United States because of their little charcoal-burning foot warmers. Faneuil Hall & Marketplace Faneuil Hall has served as a marketplace and meeting hall since Funding for the construction was provided by a wealthy merchant, Peter Faneuil, who was also responsible for commissioning the creation of the grasshopper weather vane that still perches on the building s cupola. Inspirational speeches by Samuel Adams and other patriots were given at the Hall. For over 250 years, the marketplace has played an integral role in the lives of Boston residents.

20 Page 20 Page 18 Old State House Museum The Old State House, the oldest surviving public building in Boston, was built in 1713 to house the government offices of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It stands on the site of Boston s first Town House of 1657 which burned in The Old State House was a natural meeting place for the exchange of economic and local news. A Merchant s Exchange occupied the first floor and the basement was rented by John Hancock and others for warehouse space. As the center of political life and thought in the colonies, the Old State House has been called one of the most important public building in Colonial America. Massachusetts Capitol Building The Massachusetts Capitol Building, referred to as the State House, was erected from Boston architect Peter Bullfinch spent months studying Greek and Roman temples, then adapted their forms for this new building with a daring plan including a large dome. What object is at the very top, which he placed as a symbol of the forests that made it possible for the early settlers to survive? Fun Trivia: - Governor Samuel Adams, assisted by Paul Revere, laid the cornerstone of the new State House on July 4th, The building was placed on a hill in John Hancock s cow Pasture. - The huge dome was made of wood and covered in copper by Paul Revere. - The dome was first gilded in gold in 1861.

21 Page 19 The Battles of Lexington & Concord On the night of April 18, 1775, 700 British troops left Boston secretly. Their mission was to capture and destroy military supplies that were reportedly being stored by the Massachusetts Militia at Concord. But their plans were discovered and many, including Paul Revere, quickly left town on horses to warn the Militia. To get to Concord, the British had to pass through Lexington. They arrived at Lexington early in the morning and encountered about 70 armed Minutemen standing at Lexington Green. The British Major ordered the Minutemen to disperse but before they could do so, a shot rung out, the British opened fire and some of the Minutemen were wounded as they tried to flee. The British allegedly stabbed some of the Minutemen with bayonets and shot some of the wounded as they were trying to crawl away, killing eight of them. Only one British soldier was wounded slightly in the leg. The British then continue their march to Concord. The commander of the Minutemen at Lexington, Capt. John Parker, supposedly said, "If they meant to have a war then let it begin here". He got his wish. The American Revolution began on the spot where he stood. A stone marker now marks the spot and his statue stands at Lexington Green.

22 Page 20 Plimoth Plantation Plimoth Plantation is a living history museum that re-creates in great detail the daily life of the native Wamgpanoag and the English colonists, and explores the lives of two distinctly different cultures from the 17th century. It is a museum of people and culture, rather than one of objects. The 1627 English Village is a re-creation of the small farming town built by English colonists in the midst of the Wampanoag homeland. Find yourself immersed in the year 1627, just seven years after the voyage of the Mayflower, surrounded by modest timber-framed houses, raised-bed gardens, well-tended livestock and fascinating townspeople in the first permanent English settlement in New England. The people you will meet at the Wampanoag Homesite are not characters - the staff dressed in traditional deerskin clothing are Native People and speak in their own modern words about the experiences of the Wampanoag. The Wampanoag People have lived in southeastern New England for over 12,000 years. Step into a traditional wetu (house), enjoy the scent of sobaheg (stew) simmering over a wood fire, help scrape out a mishoon (boat) using centuries-old techniques, and gaze over the tranquil waters of the Eel River. Board a full-scale reproduction of the Mayflower II, a 17th century sailing vessel and meet her crew! The details of the ship, from the solid oak timbers and tarred hemp rigging, to the wood and horn lanterns and hand-colored maps, have all been carefully recreated to give you a sense of what an original 17th century vessel was like.

23 Page 21 U.S.S. Constitution Better known as "Old Ironsides," the USS Constitution rests proudly at anchor in her berth at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. fleet is a battlewagon of the old school, of the days of "wooden ships and iron men" - when she and her crew of 200 succeeded at the perilous task of asserting the sovereignty of an improbable new nation. Every July 4 and on certain other occasions she's towed out for a turnabout in Boston Harbor, the very place her keel was laid in The venerable craft has narrowly escaped the scrap heap several times in her long history. She was launched on October 21, 1797, as part of the nation's fledgling navy. Her hull was made of live oak, the toughest wood grown in North America; her bottom was sheathed in copper, provided by Paul Revere at a nominal cost. Her principal service was during Thomas Jefferson's campaign against the Barbary pirates, off the coast of North Africa, and in the War of In 42 engagements her record was The nickname "Old Ironsides" was acquired during the War of 1812, when shots from the British warship Guerrière appeared to bounce off her hull. Talk of scrapping the ship began as early as 1830, but she was saved by a public campaign sparked by Oliver Wendell Holmes's poem "Old Ironsides." She underwent a major restoration in the early 1990s, and only about 8%-10% of her original wood remains in place, including the keel, the heart of the ship. Today she continues, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, to be a part of the U.S. Navy.

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