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Picture of the day - April 7, 2006

The Washington Monument

submittedCherry blossoms framing the Washington Monument.
Photo courtesy of Stacie Dembeck.

Today's picture features two of Washington, DC's most popular attractions: the towering Washington Monument and the magnificent springtime cherry blossoms. Every year, thousands of visitors flock to Washington to see the statues and monuments dedicated to the founding fathers, and many of them try to come in the springtime while the city is adorned with millions of the colorful cherry blossoms.

Our nation's capitol city is named after George Washington, the first President of the United States. Washington was without a doubt one of the most influential people in the making of our great nation and its rich history. His strong, determined leadership in several key areas helped make the United States the country it is today.

After the American colonies demanded their independence from England on July 4, 1776, General George Washington led the brave troops of the Continental Army onto the battlefields of the Revolutionary War in order to secure it. After getting off to a slow start, the American soldiers came into their own following a very hard winter at Valley Forge, and before long the victory was won! A new nation was born - a nation governed by the people and for the people, not some relentless tyrant. A grand experiment in democracy had begun!

By the end of the war, Washington was so popular among the people that many called for him to become king of the new sovereign nation, but instead he became its first President. And even though he could have easily won re-election to a third term (and probably more) he chose instead to step down and make way for a new leader. He had worked too long and hard to defeat a king to simply turn around and become one himself. His love for his country was much greater than any desire for power.

In recognition of Washington's many important contributions to our country, when its new capitol was built on the banks of the Potomac it was proudly given his name. In 1912, the nation of Japan provided the beautiful cherry trees as a gift to the United States. The Vicountess Chinda of Japan joined First Lady Mrs. William Howard Taft in overseeing the planting of the first of the cherry trees on Washington's Tidal Basin. Today, the city is home to over 3,700 of these magnificent trees!
 

About the photo: Photographer Stacie Dembeck took this stunning photograph of the Washington Monument framed by clusters of cherry blossoms. It was her first time seeing the trees in bloom even though she only lives a mere 45 minutes away.


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