Symbols of Our Freedom


All of us live in a world where symbols convey meaning in an instant. Any small child in the United States would recognize the theme song and the characters from Sesame Street. Every teenager would know that the golden arches represent a nearby McDonalds restaurant. Adults in our country recognize the donkey and the elephant as symbols of the Democratic and Republican political Parties.

Symbols surround each of us twenty-four hours every day. These symbols convey meanings of countless things in our everyday life. They bring vivid images of the object they represent to our minds immediately. Then the symbol lingers in our minds to keep that object in our vision. The symbol helps us connect our feelings to that object or event. Giving constant reminders is the purpose of symbols.

Every country in the world has symbols that give its citizens a sense of national pride.

Among those symbols is a flag. There are other symbols each country adopts to give their people a common bond of pride.

In the United States of America we have our national flag which is called the Star Spangled Banner and our national anthem which is also called the Star Spangled Banner. Our national bird, the Bald Eagle http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/symbols/eagle.html is another symbol. The Pledge of Allegiance, the Liberty Bell http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/symbols/libertybell.html, Independence Hall http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/symbols/independencehall.html, 4th of July, the Statue of Liberty, Blind Lady Justice, and the White House are some of the other symbols which bond our citizens together and give us a feeling of national pride.

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Documents of Our Freedom
Symbols of Our Freedom
Resource / Credits Page
Teacher Lesson Plans