Tag Archives: Arlington

Topic of interest

The topic that I would like to look into more deeply is the development of the monuments and memorials in Washington D.C., but particularly the Arlington National Cemetery. The steps I would take to explore this topic would begin with utilizing the Library of Congress and National Archives for primary sources that might provide some detailed information regarding Robert E. Lee and why the Union was able to claim this property from him. Also, I would like to learn how the Union put the land to use and when they decided to use the land as a cemetery. Then I would like to learn about particular traditions that go on at Arlington Nation Cemetery and their origins starting at its establishment up until fifty-years ago. In addition to these traditions, I might try to find audio recordings of speeches taken place there. I might widen my research to the official Arlington National Cemetery website where I could find secondary sources that might be able to provide me with other essential information if I am unable to find them in primary sources. Lastly, I would like to also find newspaper articles from that time discussing the cemetery and see if I can find a general consensus of what the people in D.C. thought about it.