Protecting National Symbols Of The United States Of America

National symbols could be looked at in many ways by different people. Some may look at them as symbols remembering our nation’s history, and some may not care at all that the meaning behind them is. National symbols should be protected from actions that others may think is disrespectful because national symbols are what makes our country who we are. Our national symbols represent our history, and the pride we take in our country.

The Liberty Bell, the flag of the United States, the bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, and the National Anthem, also called the Star-Spangled Banner, are all well-known national symbols of the United States. We stand for the flag to show respect for the men and women that fight to keep our country safe. Our actions show the pride we take in this country, whether it’s saying the pledge of allegiance for removing your hat while the star-spangled banner is being played. Some may see the flag has a piece of cloth that has 13 stripes and 50 stars, but some see it as a symbol for the country that their families fought for. The flag is only one of the few national symbols our country has.

Everyone looks at the Statue of Liberty as this place that everyone needs to visit, and I can tell you, it’s life-changing. The Statue of Liberty has such an amazing history behind it, but so does the Liberty Bell. The bald eagle may just be looked at as a bird, but because it is such a monumental bird in our country, everyone can recognize one when they see it. Our national symbols aren’t just recognized by americans but recognized by every country around the world. Other countries identify America with the American Flag that is waved all around our country, and we do the same with others. The national symbols of our country are very symbolic to us and the world. The world identifies us by our symbols that have a great history.

Our country has so many national symbols; each one is unique in its way. Every symbol has its history and by protecting our symbols we are protecting the history behind it. The Liberty Bell was ordered in 1752. There is a quote on the side of the bell that states, “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” The crack in the bell is the most memorable feature. There is no proof, but many people speculate that the bell was rung to mark the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776. In the 1830s, activists adopted the bell as a symbol of their struggle to abolish slavery. The bell’s crack shares many stories that have reached nearly mythic proportions. The crack is one main reason the Liberty Bell is so symbolic.

The American flag is one of the most symbolic symbols of our nation. The American flag is well-known as the “Stars and Stripes” or “Old Glory.” The current flag we all know today is the 27th version of the flag, it is also the flag that’s been used the longest. In 1818, it was decided that the flag would have 13 stripes, for the first 13 original colonies, and 50 stars, one for each state. Our flag isn’t the only symbol of our bravery for our country. President John F. Kennedy wrote, “The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolize the strength and freedom of America.” This quote explains why the bald eagle is so important to our country and why it is symbolic.

The bald eagle is one of the most iconic birds we have in our country. We can recognize them with their white heads and brown bodies. It is also one of the long-time national birds we’ve had. The Library of Congress said, “In 1782, the Continental Congress adopted the Great Seal of the United States, which depicts a bald eagle holding 13 olive branches in one talon and 13 arrows in the other. The olive branch stands for the power to make peace, while the arrows stand for the power to make war.” This quote states the information behind the bald eagle and the symbolic meaning of why we chose the bald eagle to be our national bird. The bald eagle isn’t the only symbol that we have that has a meaning behind the way it looks.

The Star-Spangled Banner has a remarkable history. The song was written in poem form by Francis Scott Key in 1814. The song was written after the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. The music was acquired from a popular British song. It then became the official national anthem in 1931. The National Anthem was sung at many sporting events. People may look at the anthem to be controversial because of the war-related imagery it may paint. The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the United States from the people of France. Dedicated in 1886, the statue presents Libertas, who is the Roman goddess of freedom. The Statue of Liberty is placed in New York Harbor. The statue is pictured holding a torch in one hand and a tablet showing the date of the Declaration of Independence. The Statue of Liberty is an iconic symbol of freedom. Many protests have used the statue as a picture of their struggles for political freedoms. Our national symbols have many unique histories, and without their history, they would not be as symbolic as they are today.

Many may say that protecting our national symbols violates the first amendment that grants us our freedoms. We are granted freedom of speech, assembly, protest, religion, and press. If we pass a law protecting our national symbols they are violating our freedom of speech and protest. In most cases, our national symbols are used in speech and protest. After Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem, many expressed how they felt on the topic.

Many had said that they had the right to express themselves, Damon Walton said, “I served to protect all Americans not just the ones I agree with.” Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in protest of the wrongdoings against African Americans. Colin Kaepernick said, 'I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.' Colin Kaepernick didn’t burn or destroy the flag, but he also didn’t show respect for it. By protecting our national symbols we can control the amount of damage in our country. Our national symbols would lose their meaning if they are continually destroyed. Many will start to look at our national symbols and objects that aren’t important.

National symbols have a great history and symbolic meaning to the United States of America. People may think that you should have the right to treat our national symbols however they would like, but they don’t stop to think about why they have such a well-known title. Protecting our national symbols is one of the most important actions we could take. By protecting them, they will never lose how much they are worth and their importance.