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Arlington National Cemetery
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERYARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, originally part of George Washington's estate, has become one of the most important shrines that the United States maintains. In 1861 the United States seized the estate from its owner, Robert E. Lee, and by 1864 it had begun using the grounds as a cemetery. Following an 1882 Supreme Court decision, the government officially purchased the estate from Lee's heir. The dead of every war since the American Revolution and distinguished statesmen, including John F. Kennedy, rest in the cemetery. The U.S. government has restored Arlington House and erected a Memorial Amphitheater. The Tomb of the Unknowns commemorates the dead of the two world wars and the Korean War. BIBLIOGRAPHYHolt, Dean W. American Military Cemeteries: A Comprehensive Illustrated Guide to the Hallowed Grounds of the United States, Including Cemeteries Overseas. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1992. AngelaEllis See alsoCemeteries, National ; United States v. Lee ; Unknown Soldier, Tomb of the ; andvol. 9:Dedicating the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier . |
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"Arlington National Cemetery." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Arlington National Cemetery." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401800253.html "Arlington National Cemetery." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401800253.html |
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Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery 420 acres (170 hectares), N Va., across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.; est. 1864. More than 60,000 American war dead, as well as notables including Presidents William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, Gen. John J. Pershing, and Admiral Robert E. Peary are interred here. Burial in Arlington is limited to active, retired, and former members of the armed forces, Medal of Honor recipients, high-ranking federal government officials, and their dependents. There are commemorative monuments, including the Tomb of the Unknowns (see Unknown Soldier, Tomb of the ). The cemetery is part of "Arlington," the former estate of the Custis and Lee families, and includes Arlington House, now part of Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial . |
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Cite this article
"Arlington National Cemetery." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Arlington National Cemetery." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ArlingCem.html "Arlington National Cemetery." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ArlingCem.html |
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