Jefferson Memorial

July 04, 2002

Jeffmem

Provided by: Space Imaging
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster

The photo above is a satellite view of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC and was taken by the IKONOS satellite on September 30, 1999. With a resolution of approximately 1 m, IKONOS can easily detect objects such as automobiles. Thomas Jefferson, our 3rd president, was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4, 1776, by members of the Continental Congress. The Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC was erected to honor Jefferson's many achievements in addition to being President of the US, including, Minister to France, Secretary of State, Governor of Virginia, and member of the Continental Congress. Jefferson died on July 4, 1826 as did his predecessor, John Adams. July 4 is also the birthday of our 30th president, Calvin Coolidge. Below is the first paragraph of the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence:

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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