Identify U.S. symbols and their significance.

Identification should include the following:

• Flag of the United States—bars represent original colonies; stars represent fifty current states
• Seal of the United States—used to authenticate important documents (e.g., the one-dollar bill)
• Liberty Bell—from the Revolutionary War, a symbol of liberty and justice
• Statue of Liberty—donated by France to commemorate the centennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and friendship between the two nations; the Statue of Liberty welcomes travelers and those returning to the U.S., representing a nation that supports the freedom of its citizens, or "land of the free"

Process/Skill Questions:

• Why are symbols important to the culture of the United States?
• In what way are U.S. symbols similar to each other?
• Should symbols ever be updated? Explain.