The Gateway to the West
“I think the Arch is a perfect symbol of westward expansion because it’s the American spirit of being able to accomplish the impossible.” This is a quote by Christine Ely Smith, granddaughter of Luther Ely Smith, who thought of the idea for a monument in St. Louis. I think this is a great way of describing the arch and what it has brought to America. The Arch was the start of the Jefferson National Expansion Movement and was made to commemorate several important events: the Louisiana Purchase, the first civil government West of the Mississippi River, and the debate over slavery. Luther Ely Smith saw what was happening to the city because of the Depression and wanted to bring it back to its former glory. He came up with the idea of a monument that would be honored after Thomas Jefferson because he was one of the most popular presidents and Smith believed he could get federal money to honor him. A contest was held for people to design a monument and......
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Approximate Word Count: 1069
Approximate Pages: 5 (260 words per double-spaced page) |