Student Name: ________________________
Date: __________________
Period: _________
US History Project
War Memorial Virtual Tour
Introduction
President Lincoln once said, “A nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.”
These words speak to the core of how our nation views those who have fought and given their all
for the protection of others. It is with this in mind that we take this virtual journey to five
veterans’ memorials in Washington, D.C. During this trip, you will be able to visit the
memorials and reflect about their meanings within your own life. Here is a list of the memorials
you will be visiting:
1. African American Civil War Memorial
2. World War II Memorial
3. Korean War Memorial
4. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Instructions
Please follow the instructions below to help ensure that you successfully complete the activity.
Step 1: Read the activity introduction on the home page. This will tell you why we are doing
this assignment.
Step 2: Complete the activity worksheet as you navigate through each of the webpages. Be sure
to watch all videos and ready all supporting text as they contain information for the
activity worksheet.
Step 3: Once you have visited all of the memorials, complete the activity reflection that is
provided in the handout. This will help you pause and take the entire activity into
consideration.
Section 1: African American Civil War Memorial
Please answer the guiding questions below based on the video, images, and information listed on
the webpage.
1. Where is the memorial located (complete address)?
1925 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001
2. Who is the memorial supposed to recognize or honor?
This recognizes the efforts of African Americans soldiers who provided assistance to the
Union during the Civil War.
Student Name: ________________________
Date: __________________
Period: _________
3. Write a brief description of what the memorial looks like.
There are two main parts to this memorial. The 10-foot sculpture in the middle portrays
the efforts of African American troops who fought for their freedom during the war. The
other part of the memorial is a large wall that encircles the statue. It lists the names of
209,145 “colored” troops as listed in the National Archives. They are written on stainless
steel plaques.
Higher Order Question: How do you think the soldiers felt knowing their success was going
to determine the future of slavery in America?
Answers will vary based on your opinion
Section 2: World War II Memorial
Please answer the guiding questions below based on the video, images, and information listed on
the webpage.
1. Where is the memorial located (complete address)?
17th St SW
Washington, DC 20006
2. Who is the memorial supposed to recognize or honor?
The memorial is meant to honor the 16,000,000 Americans who served and 400,000
Americans who died fighting in World War II. It is also said to recognize the efforts of
Americans who assisted on the home front.
3. What are the granite pillars of the memorial supposed to represent?
There are 56 granite pillars that stand 17 feet tall. They are said to represent the 48 US
states that existed in 1945, the District of Columbia, and several territories controlled by
the US at that time. One name is inscribed on each of the pillars. There are also two
larger pillars at this memorial. They represent the Atlantic and Pacific theaters as
America was involved in fighting on two fronts.
4. What are the 4,000+ stars on the memorial wall supposed to represent?
On the western side of the memorial stands a wall with 4,048 gold stars. Each star
represents 100 Americans who died in the war.
Student Name: ________________________
Date: __________________
Period: _________
Higher Order Question: Some have argued that the World War II Memorial should have been
built in Hawaii where the US was attacked and brought into the
war. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? Why?
Answers will vary based on your opinion
Section 3: Korean War Memorial
Please answer the guiding questions below based on the video, images, and information listed on
the webpage.
1. Where is the memorial located (complete address)?
10 Daniel French Dr SW
Washington, DC 20001
2. When did the process of building the Korean War Memorial begin? When was the memorial
finished (dedication date)?
The actual process of approving the memorial started in October of 1986. The design
was approved in 1989. Groundbreaking on the memorial started in 1992, and it was
officially dedicated on July 27, 1995.
3. Who is the memorial supposed to honor or recognize?
The memorial was built to recognize the efforts of 5.8 million Americans who served in
the US armed forces during the Korean War. 54,246 Americans died during the Korean
War and more than 8,000 were listed as missing.
4. Write a brief description of what the memorial looks like.
There are two main parts to this memorial. The first is a field of 19 stainless steel statues
carrying military gear and wearing ponchos. They represent all areas of the US armed
forces (1 Air Force, 1 Navy, 3 Marine, and 14 Army). The soldiers are walking through
juniper bushes that are said to resemble the rice paddies of Korea. The other portion of
the memorial is the mural wall. The wall is 164 feet long and features roughly 2,400
images. The images were taken from the National Archives.
Higher Order Question: Do you feel the Korean War has gotten the attention it deserves during
your US History classes?
Answers will vary based on your opinion
Student Name: ________________________
Date: __________________
Period: _________
Section 4: Vietnam War Memorial
Please answer the guiding questions below based on the video, images, and information listed on
the webpage.
1. Where is the memorial located (complete address)?
5 Henry Bacon Dr NW
Washington, DC 20024
2. Who is the memorial supposed to recognize or honor?
The Vietnam War Memorial is dedicated to the 50,000+ Americans who died in the
Vietnam War. It is also meant to be a place for loved-ones to reflect and remember those
who were lost in the war.
3. Describe what the memorial looks like.
There are 3 parts to the Vietnam War Memorial. The first is the Three Soldier Statue. It
is a statue with 3 young American soldiers. The second part is the Vietnam Women’s
Memorial. This is a set of statues that show women nurses assisted a wounded soldier.
The final part is the most well-known aspect of the Vietnam War Memorial, and that is
something called “The Wall.” The wall is 246 feet long and lists the names of on the
wall changes over time, but there are more than 58,000 names on the wall at this point in
time. There are markers that label the purpose for each name being on the wall.
4. What is the purpose of the paper and pencil “rubbing” that takes place at this memorial?
People are able to place paper over a name and rub pencil over it in order to create an
embossed-like image of the person’s name on the wall. It allows visitors to take home a
memory of the love-ones they are there to remember.
5. Who designed the Vietnam War Memorial?
The Vietnam War Memorial was designed by Maya Lin.
Higher Order Question: There was some controversy about whether or not the designer’s name
should have been placed on the wall along with the soldiers’
names. Do you feel the designer’s name should be on the wall?
Why or why not?
Answers will vary based on your opinion
Student Name: ________________________
Date: __________________
Period: _________
Section 5: Final Reflection
Please write a one-paragraph response to each of the prompts listed below.
Prompt 1: If you were only able to visit one of these sites in person, which would you choose?
Prompt 2: Based on what you have learned, do you feel it is important for our nation to
celebrate the efforts of the men and women who fought in these wars? What
might the benefits and drawbacks be to creating and maintain the memorials?
Answers will vary based on your opinion