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Essays & Study Questions Enhance your knowledge of Congress by reading these essays and answering the study questions. Committees (PDF) – The role that congressional committees play in the legislative process and the reasons why they are important. Congress by the Numbers (PDF) How Your State Gets
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Video Tour Watch this 3-room video tour of the U.S. Capitol focused on information relevant to students taking middle school level U.S. history and civics courses. Follow-along Worksheet for the video above Quiz Worksheet for the video above Video Series A Capitol Moment – Highlighting the lives of
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Explore the Capitol Campus These videos will take you in and around historic spaces of the U.S. Capitol. A Walk Through the Brumidi Corridors (Video) A Walk Through the Cox Corridors and Hall of Columns (Video) A Walk Through National Statuary Hall (Video) A Walk Through the U.S. Capitol Crypt
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Lesson Plans Flower to Seed, Seed to Flower (PDF, grades K-2) — Explore the life cycle of a flowering plant by examining how and why plants make seeds. Flower to Seed, Seed to Flower (PDF, grades 3-5) Activity Guides and Worksheets Explore the art and history of the U.S. Capitol with these student
Projects
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Like most beloved national treasures from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Statue of Liberty, the U.S. Capitol Building roof requires continuous care.
Behind the Scenes
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It generates temperatures of 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more and accelerates to nearly the speed of sound.
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The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is redesigning Exhibition Hall. Visitors will encounter a dynamic and educational environment that will to inform, involve and inspire them about Congress' role in the democratic process.
Programs & Events
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The Architect of the Capitol selects the annual U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree in consultation with the United States Forest Service.
Projects
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The Architect of the Capitol's Construction Division with the support of the AOC Library Buildings and Grounds jurisdiction worked together to complete the Fire Door Improvements project.
Programs & Events
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This newly donated collection — the second largest single donation in U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) history — adds to the rich heritage and importance of the USBG's orchid collection.
History & Discoveries
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Colonel Charles De Witt's career extended far beyond his home county, including being named as delegate to the Continental Congress.
History & Discoveries
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Beginning in 1855, Constantino Brumidi decorated many walls and ceilings in the U.S. Capitol, most prominently in the Capitol Rotunda and the corridors of the Senate wing.
Public Notice
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Eight bronze lamp posts were recently installed by the Architect of the Capitol on the marble pedestal of the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial in Washington, D.C. These posts are replicas of fixtures first designed and installed by Edward Pearce Casey, the architect for the memorial's pedestal.
Programs & Events
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The new U.S. Capitol Materials Cart Program showcases a variety of AOC trades, including masonry, sheet metal, paint and wood-crafting.
History & Discoveries
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Did you know that the 15,000-pound bronze Statue of Freedom, standing atop the 9 million pounds of cast iron of the U.S. Capitol Dome, dances every day?
History & Discoveries
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During a recent renovation, members of the Architect of the Capitol uncovered a long-forgotten painting of the famous horse, Blackjack.
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An 1826 report from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds included plans for a guard room and other spaces in a terrace on the west front of the Capitol. An 1859 receipt shows that the House of Representatives and the Senate evidently were charged equal assessments for equipment of the guard
History & Discoveries
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Constantino Brumidi , born in Rome in 1805, was fully trained in classical and Renaissance painting techniques, including true fresco. He painted murals for Popes and princes and was considered one of the city's best artists. In 1852 he emigrated to the United States. In 1855, after painting a trial
Behind the Scenes
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After 12 years of service with the Virginia Army National Guard and two tours in Iraq, Anderson Alleyne began his career with the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) in 2013. He was hired as a night shift laborer in the Capitol Building jurisdiction and was responsible for maintaining the building's
Behind the Scenes
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Under a bright blue cloudless sky, Ronnie Pfiffer, Capitol Grounds and Arboretum pipefitter, stood on the West Front looking down with the focus and concentration of a Jedi. In his hands, he held not a lightsaber but a RIDGID SeekTech SR-60 Locator. The black and gold underground utility locator
Projects
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The preservation of the Cannon House Office Building's historic windows and doors allows the building to retain much of its original character and charm, while increasing the building's functionality for those who work and visit within its walls. Learn more about the process.
History & Discoveries
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The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) Capitol Building jurisdiction preserves and maintains the U.S. Capitol with the help of its many shops such as the Carpentry, Electrical, Masonry, Paint and Plumbing divisions. At a critical time in the building's evolution, there was also a Capitol Bronze Shop
Behind the Scenes
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Every two years, the Senate Office Buildings jurisdiction takes on one of its biggest responsibilities, the Senate election-year office moves.
Behind the Scenes
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The U.S. House of Representatives just underwent one of the biggest transition cycles in recent history. The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) House Office Buildings jurisdiction is heavily involved in the corresponding work — this includes overseeing the lottery process for suite selections to
History & Discoveries
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During the process of renewing the Cannon House Office Building, workers have found hidden treasures that had been lost or discarded by the laborers who constructed the building more than 100 years ago. Here's a small sampling of what has been discovered since the start of the project.
Public Notice
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Phase 1 of the Cannon Renewal was recently completed and as members, staff and the public enter the Cannon House Office Building 's historic rotunda, they will encounter something new — but it is actually something old. The rotunda has been returned to its original appearance when the building
History & Discoveries
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How a successful immigrant family left their mark on the U.S. Capitol campus, and Architect of the Capitol's work to clean and preserve a historic treasure: the Cannon House Office Building basement rotunda with a Guastavino tile vaulted ceiling intact as it was originally constructed in 1907.
Behind the Scenes
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It is easy to take for granted an ordinary day strolling across the beautiful landscaped grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Chirping birds, chittering squirrels, humming lawnmowers and the excited voices of children on their first visit to Washington, D.C., make up the soundtrack of the Capitol campus. In
From the Architect
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While I often use this space to write about some of my favorite architectural features found on Capitol Hill, I want to use this Architect's Notebook to write about my favorite and most important part of this organization: AOC employees! More specifically, their spirit and their giving and generous
Doing Good
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Armed to Urban Farm is a new program presented by the U.S. Botanic Garden and the National Center for Appropriate Technology to teach veterans about urban farming careers.