ASL Mount Rushmore for Kids

Mount Rushmore is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States. What do you know about the monument and the individuals whose heads you see? In Mount Rushmore for Kids, you and your students will learn about some of the history behind this huge sculpture. You will also discover why the four presidents on its face were chosen to be the subjects of the monument.

Construction for Mount Rushmore began in 1927. Much earlier in 1884, a lawyer from New York named Charles E. Rushmore traveled to South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest. He decided to name the mountain after himself when he learned that it had never been named before. Fast forward to the 1920s: There was some discussion over a period of years about who to sculpt into the mountainside. In the end, the subjects they agreed upon were George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt.

It took 14 years to build the monument and required the help of nearly 400 men and women who served in various capacities. They had to endure extreme weather condition and had to climb 700 stairs every day to reach the top of the mountain! An interesting fact you may not know is that 90% of the mountain was carved using dynamite. Despite these dangerous conditions, not one worker died in all 14 years.

You may wonder why those four presidents were chosen. George Washington led the colonists in the American Revolutionary War. He was the "Father of the Country" and the first president. He was chosen to represent birth. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to represent growth because of his role in expanding the size of the U.S. by purchasing the Louisiana Territory. Abraham Lincoln represented the preservation of the nation because of his impact on preserving the Union during the Civil War and abolishing slavery. And finally, Theodore Roosevelt provided leadership when America experienced rapid growth. he also linked the east and west parts of the world through the construction of the Panama Canal. He represented development.

We hope you and your student(s) enjoyed learning about this amazing monument! If you want even more information, head over to our website and download one of our many free lesson plans, full of activities, worksheets, and more!

https://learnbright.org/lessons/socia...

What you will learn in Mount Rushmore for Kids:
0:00 Introduction to Mount Rushmore
1:01 Where it is and why it was built
1:57 Deciding who to sculpt
2:54 When the project started and who was involved
3:44 Using dynamite to carve the design
4:37 Visitors of the memorial—Shrine of Democracy
5:42 Why George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were chosen
6:26 Why Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were chosen
7:17 Review of the facts

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