2.  For about 200 years, the American flag has been the symbol of our nation’s strength, unity, and also a source of pride and inspiration.

3.  The bald eagle was chosen because when the founding fathers were picking it, they wanted to choose an animal that was unique to the United States.

4.  Did you know that no one knows exactly when the Liberty Bell cracked? They think it cracked in 1751.

5.  The Statue of Liberty is 151 ft. tall if you measure it from base to torch. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France.

6.  John Adams was the first president to move into the White House.

7.  Francis Scott Key wrote the Star- Spangled Banner. You probably didn’t know his verses were meant to be lyrics for a song, not poetry.

8.  The Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937. It took a little over four years to build.

9.  Did you know that Uncle Sam was meant to be based on a real person named Sam Wilson?

10.  The Washington Monument is best known for being a tall pointy building that sticks out of the ground. The Washington Monument was built to honor George Washington.

11.  The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by a socialist minister.

12. http://www.history.com/news/9- things-you-may-not-know-about- the-star-spangled-banner http://www.ushistory.org/docum ents/pledge.htm http://carnegie.org/programs/past- programs-and-initiatives/centennial- moments/view/moment/white-house- fellows-program/ http://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/201 4/07/uncle-sam-american-symbol- american-icon/