“What can I say? They know a good-looking hat when they see one,” I said. An older woman looked at me sideways as she pretended to read a book.
“Keep holding on tight. We should be there in a minute or two,” I said. “Our first visit in Washington will be to the Washington Monument, then the National Archives, home to our most important documents.”
“Liberty says he’s going to try to beat us on foot,” Freedom said.
“He might,” I said. “It’s really not that far, especially for a horse.”
A voice from the overhead speaker announced, “Next stop, Federal Triangle station.”
“That’s us, right, Mr. Revere?” asked Tommy. I noticed he had taken his football out of his backpack and was tossing it up and down with one hand.
After another nervous escalator ride for Freedom, we came out of underground darkness into bright daylight. All around us were trees and green fields, framed by a blue sky.
We gathered together off to the side to get out of the way of hustling commuters.
“Where are we going first?” Tommy asked.
I pulled out my map of Washington, D.C., and said, “The National Mall.”
“Sweet!” Cam exclaimed, “Let’s go to the food court for a jumbo hot dog.”
“Shopping spree!” Tommy joined in. It was nice to see him joking again.
“Very funny, guys. We are not going to a mall with stores like Macy’s or a food court,” I replied.
Freedom and her grandfather both laughed.
“The National Mall is the long, famous stretch from the U.S. Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial,” I said.
Freedom’s grandfather added, “The National Mall is known around the world for housing our iconic national monuments.”
We walked for a few blocks.
“Wow, Mr. Revere, there’s the Washington Monument!” said Cam, pointing over my shoulder.
“Hey, that’s cool,” Tommy said. “My grandpa sent me a postcard once with the Washington Monument on it. He says you can recognize the tall white structure anywhere and know it is our nation’s capital.”
“Quick, another pop quiz,” I said. “Who can tell me how many American flags surround the base of the monument?”
The crew surveyed the scene and I knew they were quickly counting flags in their heads. Knowing how good Tommy is with math, I expected him to answer first. However, it was Freedom who muttered softly and uncertainly, “Fifty flags?”
“Wow, you were fast, Freedom. Good job,” said Tommy.
“Excellent, Freedom. You are right,” I replied. “The fifty flags represent our fifty states. And the Washington Monument was one of the first attractions in Washington, D.C., and was built in tribute to the first president, Cam’s friend George Washington.”
“Can we go up the Washington Monument like the Empire State Building? That would be way cool,” Cam said.
“You can, but there are a lot of stairs. We may be tired before we even start,” I joked.
We decided to walk toward the monument so that the Crew could get a better look. In Washington, D.C., the city blocks are wide and long, and the walk was good exercise. Tommy threw his football to Freedom and Cam as we walked. When we arrived, we all stood at the base looking up at its height.
“Since Liberty is not here right now, he asked me to give you the next clue on your mission,” Freedom’s grandfather said. He glanced down as his Mission: Washington, D.C., card.
“Liberty is grabbing a snack and will meet us at the National Archives,” I added.
Freedom’s grandfather continued: “The first to text the correct answer to Mr. Revere wins the point. Your clue is:
How many steps does the Washington Monument have, and how tall is it?
All of a sudden Tommy ran toward a sign with details about the Washington Monument.
“Got it!” he said, pumping his fist in the air.
“The Washington Monument has 897 steps and is over 555 feet high,” Tommy said out loud, forgetting he wasn’t supposed to tell the other secret agents. Then he started typing into his phone. Cam and Freedom quickly began typing, too, and my phone beeped three times.
“It looks like Tommy got that one first,” I said. “Well done!”
“Good job, Tommy!” Freedom’s grandfather exclaimed.
This is a view of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. Do you see the reflection in the Reflecting Pool?
As I looked at the Washington Monument I was reminded of my family. “I once toured the monument with my brother when we were kids and we walked down all of those stairs. I remember every single step. It was a workout. We were huffing and puffing,” I said.
“Oh man, I’m tired just thinking about it,” Tommy responded. “But that’s really awesome. I bet you can see really far from up there. Does it have a cool lookout like a fort?”
“As a matter of fact, yes, it does. You can see thirty miles or more of the city,” I said.
After a few seconds of discussion, we all decided not to climb the Washington Monument this time. The walk to the National Archives would make us tired enough, and we still had lots to do.
We set off walking and after about twenty minutes arrived near the National Archives, Freedom pointed and said, “Look, there’s Liberty across the street.”
“Hey, Liberty!” Tommy called out, waving his arm. “It looks like he’s waiting for us in front of that building.”
Liberty stood beside a flagpole with the American flag waving above. Tourists sat on the steps beside him. The Crew obeyed the traffic signals, then ran over to him.
“Why, fancy meeting you here,” Liberty said, in an English accent, for some reason.
The kids smiled and hugged him with genuine affection. Even Freedom’s grandpa rubbed Liberty’s nose.
The giant stone building was breathtaking. It looked like something out of Greek mythology. There were steps that resembled marble, leading from the road up to the main entrance. A row of stark white stone pillars stood like guardians in front.
Tommy read the words carved in stone out loud: “ ‘Archives of the United States of America.’ Hey, that must be the National Archives, right, Mr. Revere?”
Cam smirked at Tommy and said, “What gave you that idea?”
Tommy punched him in the arm.
“Are you special agents ready for your next clue?” Liberty asked. He looked to be preparing for a long speech.
“Hold on one second, Liberty, before you start the clue. Let me tell you guys about the National Archives. Do you see those words?” I said, pointing to a massive stone statue of a mother and child in front of the building.
THE HERITAGE OF THE PAST
IS THE SEED THAT BRINGS FORTH
THE HARVEST OF THE FUTURE
“Does anyone know what these words mean?”
“I know, I know,” Liberty said, raising a hoof. “It means that if you plant apple seeds, you can harvest the apples and eat lots of juicy fruit.”
“Very close, Liberty,” I said. “It basically means that when you plant a seed it will eventually grow to become a tree. If you create something in the present day, it will become something good or bad in the future. It is therefore important to know and protect our history.”
Freedom raised her hand. “I really like the statue. It is really beautiful. Could we all take a picture in front of it?”
“Of course!” I said. “Now one last thing before the clue. Much like a library, the National Archives keeps important documents both from history and from today. That is why it is so big.”
Do you know what famous American documents are kept here at the National Archives?
“Come on, Captain! Can I continue the mission now?” Liberty asked, with a frustrated tone. Then, realizing he was the center of attention, he stood up straight and cleared his voice, as if he were about to speak to thousands of people.
The kids all chuckled.
“On second thought, before you do, I have to te
ll everybody what we are going to see inside the National Archives building,” I said, annoying Liberty again.
Liberty made a gesture of pure exasperation but I pushed on. “Inside there are three of the most important documents in our country’s history—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. The actual documents, created hundreds of years ago, are right through that door.”
“That’s really cool, Mr. Revere. There is a poster of the Declaration of Independence on our wall at school. I just thought it was a poster. I didn’t know there was a real one somewhere,” Cam said.
“Okay, okay, now that we know what’s in the National Archives, let’s get back to the mission, pleaaaaaasssssseee. Are you ready? Steady? Super ready steady?” Liberty said.
I looked over at Liberty with a sideward eye roll, encouraging him to move his dramatic delivery along. I was ready to run through the entrance, giddy with anticipation.
Liberty continued, “Okay, special agents. You need to find the answer to this clue somewhere inside the building and report back to me at base camp with the answer. It must be written down.”
I helped pull a note written by Liberty out of his saddlebag. It read:
I can be found in a special painting on the wall of the National Archives. I have a leg with a peg and stand behind a sword. What is my name and where did you find me?
All three kids looked a little confused, while Freedom’s grandfather smiled as if he knew something we did not.
Liberty looked serious, like a game show host in the final round, and said, “I will wait out here and if you bring back the correct answer you will get a point. Good luck.”
After a pause he added, “While you are searching, if you happen to find a nice cool glass of spinach smoothie, feel free to bring that back, too. Just sayin’.”
“Try not to get into any trouble for a change,” I said.
“I am deeply offended. That hurts me to the core. Now, what would make you think little old me would get into any kind of trouble? Gosh,” Liberty replied.
I just shook my head.
We entered the National Archives through a side door. We passed the metal detectors like an airport and were in. On the wall a sign said NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED.
Cam pulled out his yo-yo and started doing tricks until Freedom’s grandfather motioned for him to pay attention.
Near a wall, I noticed a portable bookstand full of maps. We stopped and studied the map for a minute, and determined that an elevator ride up was the quickest way to the documents.
“Rotunda?” Cam asked as we entered the elevator. “That kinda sounds like ‘Rot, Undar’ in an Australian accent. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’d like to visit anything that rots,” Cam said with a smirk.
“Ha, me either,” Tommy said. Freedom’s grandfather shook his head with a half smile.
“Well, lucky for you, the Rotunda does not rot. It’s actually pronounced ‘Ro,’ like ‘Row Your Boat.’ In ancient Greece, they called the type of room that we are about to visit a rotunda, because of the curved walls and dome.”
When the elevator doors opened, the first thing I noticed was the floors. They were spotless. Everything looked pristine, like an old-fashioned bank vault. There was a chill of cool air.
“Look up ahead, there’s the Rotunda,” Freedom’s grandfather said, picking up his pace. He motioned for the kids to hurry behind. It was funny to see Tommy, Freedom, and Cam uniformly follow behind like a mother duck and her ducklings.
I caught up in time to say, “Take a minute to really absorb this. The room you are about to enter is called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. The three precious documents—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights—are right here.”
Tommy looked at Freedom and whispered, “How does it feel to be named after something so important? Maybe we should be carrying you on our shoulders.”
She gave Tommy a shove and softly laughed, saying, “The next thing you’ll want to do is put me under museum glass.”
Tommy raised his eyebrows. “Hey, not a bad idea.”
Freedom pushed him again and rolled her eyes. Cam pulled out his yo-yo again, and quickly put it back as a guard looked at him.
In front of us there were huge open gates that looked like the entrance to the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz. On each side and on the far end, American flags stood tall around the documents.
Do you know what important document this is? It is the Constitution of the United States, and it is more than two hundred years old. It remains the law of the land today.
Have you heard of the freedom of speech? It is contained in the Bill of Rights, which are the first ten Amendments or changes to the U.S. Constitution. As George Mason said, it protects the rights of the people.
Tommy said, smiling, “Don’t forget we have to find a painting with a peg leg and a sword. You know, the usual.”
Cam laughed and said, “True, we’re on it.”
We walked through the gates and into the dome. The lighting was soft and dim with spotlights focused on the glass cases, like a fine art museum.
“Hey, look, it’s the Declaration of Independence,” Cam said.
“Where, where, I want to see,” Freedom said, getting closer to Cam as we looked into the case.
The ink was faded and the paper was brown but the document looked like the most valuable diamond in a jewelry case.
“I wish I could write like that,” Freedom said, leaning in to look closely at the beautiful script. In some places on the old parchment the handwriting had almost turned invisible.
At the top were the words In Congress July 4, 1776, in large print.
“Mr. Revere, we were actually there!” Cam said excitedly. “Look, you can see the signatures of our friends from the Second Continental Congress. I think that is Ben Franklin and John Hancock. Remember we saw him in Lexington with grumpy old Samuel Adams?”
“Of course I do,” I said, still amazed at our time travels.
A soft light lit up the page. The paper was almost poster-sized and looked as fragile as silk. The script had faded into the brown page, and the bottom was creased with dark spots.
“That is the actual Declaration of Independence,” Freedom’s grandfather said. “That piece of paper is hundreds of years old.”
“Yes, this is the very document the Patriots created to declare independence from Great Britain,” I whispered. “They fought the Revolutionary War to end the abuses of the British king. You see the famous words here—all men are created equal. The King did not believe this simple statement.”
“Hey, guys, look up,” Tommy said, pointing. “There’s a painting, like in Liberty’s clue.”
A huge painting covered the wall above us, with a plaque that read:
We hold these truths to be self evident,
that all men are created equal . . .
“Wow, that looks as big as a football field,” Cam said, as we all looked up.
Freedom’s grandfather pointed to a sign indicating that this painting was called The Declaration, by Barry Faulkner.
“Look for the guy with the peg leg,” Tommy said.
Freedom took out her sketchpad and drew the scene.
“Hey, wait a minute,” Cam said. “I know that guy. Look at the dude in yellow, the third guy from the left. That’s our friend Ben Franklin. Oh, and there’s Thomas Jefferson.”
“Yes, you’re exactly right! It looks just like it did on our visit in 1776,” I said, realizing the people around us might think I was nutty.
“Shoot, no peg leg. Where is that guy?” Tommy asked.
“Gather round, guys and gals,” I said. “If you look carefully, you will notice everyone who was involved in writing the Declaration of Independence is there in the mural. Do you recognize anyone else?”
“I do,” Freedom said, raising her hand. “Samuel Adams.”
“Spot-on. Brilliant, Freedom!” I said.
I could have stayed there all day, but other tourists wanted their chance.
Freedom’s grandfather led us to the next case. “Who can tell me what this document is?” he asked.
The kids got close and looked down. For some reason, Cam had his yo-yo back in his hand again. So I asked him to put it away.
“I know, it is the Constitution,” Tommy said.
“Correct,” Freedom’s grandfather replied.
“What gave it away? The sign that says U.S. Constitution?” Cam joked, giving Tommy a small jab in the arm.
“Actually, no, I know a constitution when I see one,” Tommy jabbed back.
I explained: “The United States Constitution is our country’s most important document. At the time it was written, the words were radical.”
Freedom’s grandfather added, “Yes, it is a physical document, but it is a foundation that established an entirely new way of governing. The power under the Constitution remains always with the people. Just like when you build a house, you have to start with a solid foundation. That way the house will stay strong and not crumble.”
“That is really pretty cool,” Cam said. “But look how short it is. How can it cover everything? I mean there are lots of people and different laws, right?”
“That is the amazing part,” I added. “This document, created by our friends like George Washington, established the incredible system of government we know today. Have you heard of the balance of power, checks and balances, the President, elected Congress, and the Supreme Court?”
The kids nodded cautiously.
“Well, those things never existed in human history, until our ancestors, the Founders, created them in the Constitution. And here it is, the actual document itself.”
The kids looked down at the case, studying the paper, ink, and words carefully.
Freedom’s grandfather asked, “Wouldn’t you just love to ask the Founders how they came up with all this stuff out of the blue? I sure would.”
Rush Revere and the Star-Spangled Banner Page 4