Economic Value Of Tourism In London Dissertation

Economic Value Of Tourism In London - Dissertation Example Street markets are one of those places that are under the direct influence of such tourists due to direct interaction between tourists, traders, management of such places and other personnel, and social elements involved. They are considered as a source of major revenue generation for the residents of the city and also considered as tourists’ attraction by federal and local authorities. Due to their strategic importance for the cities, these markets undergo changes and developments (at the different pace and of different nature) whereas these changes are promulgated by traders, management of these street markets and local officials in response to purchasing trends of local and foreign customers. However, the research is mainly focused on responses of street markets to tourists visiting these places. The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of tourism on the street markets of London. For the purpose of this research, various street markets like Camden markets, Borough Market, Brick Lane Market and Portobello market have been selected as subjects of the research. Such selection has been made to include markets from different geographic locations. Also, most of these markets have the varied profile in terms of product portfolio, traders, management, history and culture which would be helpful in adding diversity to the research and enhancing generalization of its application on the larger population. It is important to note that street markets are considered as a reflection of local culture. Due to the rich history and their direct relation with local inhabitants, they not only act as a hub of socialization but also act as a source of preservation of local heritage. Furthermore, they also provide the sense of community to those working there and residing at the same place. Street markets also provide a feel of originality and an opportunity for external visitors for getting in touch with local norms and values.

The Value of Christian Higher Education Essay Example for Free

The Value of Christian Higher Education Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The choice of getting an education in order to prepare a future career or vocation is daunting for some especially those who believe the effects of training that anyone will receive from a particular institution. In these days of violence not only in streets but also within the campuses, people generally start to think hard about the education young people get within the academic halls. It is no wonder also that the family think hard where they spend the children to school. The essence of this paper then is whether Christian Higher Education distinctly can mould and contribute much to the development of citizens in their responsibilities toward the community where they revolve. This paper attempts to describe the value of Christian higher education and seeks to convince the reader about the contributions that belonging and training in academic institutions that incorporate the Biblical principles (White 1911). It starts with family values   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every home has its set of beliefs or tradition that they hold in high esteem. This is referred to as family values. Anything that the family believes is important comprises a family values system. Among the values an individual possesses, the most important is that a person must regard most his/her values about family as the most significant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many people don’t usually pause and contemplate what their values are. They may not know whether these values they already have are still practical or useful in a modern day world. Moreover, they do not think how their values fit in with their kind of milieu that they evolve in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are families that take time out though to impart to their children what had been passed on to them when they too were yet very young. The values may not be as strong as when were yet children because the person may have adapted to his world and adjusted his values that others may be accommodated. Through the years, a family value system may be a combination of what had been passed on to an individual and the values system of one’s friends or colleagues at work. Why are family values important? The primary reason is that what people hold as important affects how they use time, money and energy. If a family believes the importance of education then parents try to save for the schooling of their children which includes books among others. Family values influence how individuals spend their resources and make decisions. Parents then need to communicate what their own family values are, why these are important and the specifics of what are most essential that the children must also adopt or follow. Children also need to respect others who have dissimilar value system as compared to their own. Most likely values will evolve but when parents lead the children and model these beliefs, their children will be able to learn and pass these on to the next generation (â€Å"Values: what are they?†2007). Discussion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Christianity presents as an ideology, persuasion and religion that is relevant as well as able to offer lasting solutions to the ills of individuals and societies. Because of this premise, churches ever since the pioneering days were and are instrumental in the training and upbringing of children. Historical Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The history of American Christian education in general point to the primary influence of the church in the establishment of education both with what is now secular and the faith – based types. The American Christian Schools approximately blossomed around the 1700s (House p2 2007; Kazanjian on Walsh p.1 2006). The schools around these decades were actually classified as more sectarian, that is, more Christian in practice and persuasion than their secular counterparts and not only that outnumber the latter in terms of demographics. Protestant schools then, according to House’s research, had been very rigid in terms of bulk and types of academic matters. Back then, their educational instruction consisted of classical languages, literature and none other than Biblical instructions. What made it more complicated was that the Biblical studies were also based on both the Hebrew and the Greek languages. Aside from these they also had to do the Iliad in the Greek version alongside Latin versions of Tacitus’ historical accounts. Even in the elementary levels a typical child in some schools during the 1700s were able accomplished such feats as finishing the elementary grades with the aforementioned subjects. The thrust for college students during these early American Christian Schools on the other hand were to establish their abilities to â€Å"reason, analysis and perspective† which can be derived from a lengthy time spent on languages both the modern and the ancient at the same time weighty amount of time and efforts on mathematics. During these times however, the colleges and schools effectively instilled among their students a love for the institution and the especially patriotic loyalty to the country (White 1911). Results of a Christian training   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rationale for such rigidity and â€Å"highly verbal and personalized† form of instructions was primarily a better comprehension and understanding of the Scriptures. The Bible then is central to the instructive process and where the activities revolved around the applications of the Scriptural truths. This was what was called as the â€Å"colonial beginnings† and continued on to the 1900s where the impetus was to instill the values drawn from inspiration of the Christian faith. The results that this kind of education bore on the society had been very influential and significantly important. Aside from instilling a high sense of individual ethics not only in the academic performance, what was more important was that there was a prevailing worldview which was Christian. The results as well do not spill over only in their generation but benefit more those in the next generation (Dawson 1989).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The premise for training students whether in the elementary to the collegiate or university level was to introduce the person to the mind of Christ and inculcate that kind of mind to the individual as he translates this worldview or persuasion into his/her everyday activities. â€Å"Classical Christian education is word-oriented† which implies that whatever compromises made today to enhance classroom instructions which maybe basically Christian, cannot equate with what was then introduced during the Colonial days (Dawson 1989). Modern Christian Education and its advantage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In schools such as the Seattle Pacific University which claims to have Christian philosophical perspective in their stance and training, the school argues that their advantage over others such as public secular schools in particular, has to with specifics like more focused thought and smaller number of students per class. This is to ensure that the students receive better awareness and consideration from their instructors which usually boosts the morale of the student/s. The extensive help and advantages that students will gain from a Christian education encompass the morals and ethics consistently taught inside the four walls of the classroom (Veith 1994). Disadvantage of Present Secular or Public School Higher Education   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Students today are exposed to a kind of education which at the surface attempts to integrate what is called a holistic viewpoint where values, democracy, intellectualism and humanistic understandings are introduced alongside art, English or languages, mathematics and others. To look from a distance these may probably develop a student to be more â€Å"resilient’ or flexible, more tolerant of differing views which is called for in this era of diversity. However, the main and essential drawback comes in the form of a lack of clear focus or direction and no apparent or unambiguous line of worldview to follow. The result is a person or individual whose sympathies and understanding of his/her world may change from time to time and consequently his/her attitudes, actions and behavior in many respects of their lives (Rushdoony 1963). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The value that Christian education has introduced me personally is tremendous. Many aspects in my life especially many decisions that are made are anchored on the many opportunities that the Christian faith had influenced me through the school where I am being taught.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What are the specific benefits I gained? The ethical and moral bearings that had helped me make decisions that impact my life and the lives of people around me. This is important since whatever choice I make in some areas of my life, sooner or later this tend to affect those who love me and are supportive of me. The training is definitely different because it looks into how we treat others in the very basic human relations level. A Christian in the true sense of the word embodies one who deeply respects others even if they do not have the same religious persuasion as theirs. This is what I have observed distinctly from the general ambience of what secular schools have produced in their studentry and in their graduates. Lastly, the school personnel and staff as well as many in the teaching crew are convinced as well of the Christian faith that they are representing. Although not all may be embracing the same belief or measure of spirituality, nonetheless, there is an unwritten as well as commitment to the policies that are reflective of Scriptural truths.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tracing the historical roots of this country’s school system back to colonial America, it is with great envy that what we have in our schools today or the Christian Schools are being hailed as â€Å"Christian† are actually far from the quality which characterized their colleges or academic institutions. Though difficult, they were able to harness the best for a better nation. Reference: â€Å"Values: what are they?†2007. Family Works : University of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Illinois extension. Accessed December 1, 2007.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/familyworks/values- 01.html Dawson, Christopher. The Crisis of Western Education, Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1989   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   pp. 8-9. House, Ben.†Classical Christian Education: A Look at Some History† 2007 Accessed December 2, 2007 http://www.reformed.org/master/index.html?mainframe=/ch   ristian_education/classic_educ.html Kazanjian, Victor Jr. and Peter Laurence (Eds). Education as   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Transformation: Religious Pluralism, Spirituality, and   Ã‚  Ã‚   a New Vision for Higher Education in America. Peter   Ã‚   Lang Publishing, New York. 2006. Rushdoony,Rousas J, The Messianic Character of American   Ã‚   Education, Philipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1963. Veith, Gene Edward Jr., Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide   Ã‚  Ã‚   to Contemporary Thought and Culture, (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1994. White, Henry Alexander. Southern Presbyterian Leaders, New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   York: Neale Publishing Company, 1911. pp. 59-60.

Structure Of The Travel Tourism And Hospitality Industry Tourism Essay

Structure Of The Travel Tourism And Hospitality Industry Tourism Essay The purposes for this essay are to present the structure of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Firstly, we need to know what the definition of tourism is. As the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), tourism is the activities of person travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes (World Tourism Organisation, 1993). Therefore, the tourist is a person who travels to another place outside of their normal place of residence at least 100 miles for more than 24 hours and less than 12 months. Travel and tourism does not necessary involve travelling abroad. It could be in domestic tourism such as peoples home country, on visits to attractions, city breaks, trips to business meetings, sports events or concerts, and visits to friends or relatives. According to Weaver Lawton (2002, p.3), tourism includes the businesses that provide goods and services wholly or mainly for tourist consumption such as restaurants and food/beverage services, and lodging. Hence, it linked to hospitality industry which including accommodations segments, food services segment and other hospitality operations segments. Structure of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry The travel, tourism and hospitality industry is one of the largest industries in the world. It includes many sectors that we need to go through each part of the industry on its own. The key sectors in the travel and tourism industry can be distributed into three different parts. They are public, private and voluntary sectors. Figure 1: Tourism industry Tourism industry The private sector The public sector The voluntary sector Tour operators Travel agents Accommodations Government NTOs NATA UFTAA IATA SHA Private sector The private sector is generated of commercial operators run or owned by individuals or companies such as travel insurance, travel press, travel marketing, private colleges, tour operators or travel agents, whose main purpose is to produce benefits from the facilities and goods, which they deliver to their consumers. In addition, these agencies play a very important role in the development of the travel and tourism industry. They are the components which communicate directly with customers. For instance, they arranged a group which understand the demands of visitors and advertise their packages at different tourist locations through interactive methods of communication such as distribute brochure or advertise in their websites. Accommodations are the basic needs in tourism industry which including hotels, resorts and timeshares or condominiums, conference centres, camp and park lodges, food and beverages. For example, resorts offer good services such as spa, massage, hot tub for customers who come to relax on holiday. They gain high benefits due to customers consumptions when they provide good services. Therefore, the private sectors are commercial businesses with the objective of making a profit for shareholders and owners. They run businesses at all levels of the distribution chain suppliers, wholesalers and retailers. Public sector Public sectors are major groups who decide on the strategy and leadership for the growth of the tourism sector. This is the government body which supporting the tourism industry. The role of this organisation is to work with the industry and provide the required amount of support. The services offered by the public sector are delivered to the public and paid through government. Public sector includes NTOs and RTOs (national regional tourist offices). It may also be suppliers, especially in transportation and visitor attractions. Most of the public services are non-profit-making. Voluntary sector Voluntary sector contains different bodies involved in the lobbying and being the force factors who work for the benefit of the tourism sector and the benefit of the respective associations they represent. They are namely National Parks Association, YHA (Youth Hostels Association), National Trust, ANTOR (Association of National Tourist Office Representatives), FTO (Federation of tour Operators), ATOC (Association of Train Operating Companies), Museums Association, UK Inbound Tourism, Tourism Concern and PSA (Passenger Shipping Association). Organizations of the voluntary sector are controlled and ran mainly by volunteers. These organizations are usually not making profit or contributively. This creates some financial benefits that may include reduced rates and VAT, income tax exemption for investments, covenants and bank deposits. Voluntary sector organisations that register as contributions have to satisfy specific terms. Their purposes must be charitable, non-profit-making, for the educations improvement or for other aims beneficial to the society. Horizontal integration According to Weaver Lawton (2002), horizontal integration takes place when firms reach a higher level of consolidation or control within their own sector. Horizontal integration is where an organisation owns two or more companies, on the same level of the buying chain. For example, EasyJet took over Go! in 2002. It was a case of one budget airline taking over another no-frills airline. Although the two companies became one, they could have retained their different brand names. In fact in this case, EasyJet rapidly re-branded all of Go!s planes with their own distinctive livery. Principal Figure 2: Horizontal integration Principal Tour operator Tour operator Travel agent Travel agent Vertical integration Vertical integration occurs when a company achieve greater control over elements of the product chain outside its own sector (Weaver Lawton, 2002). This integration can be forward in the direction of the chain, or backward against the direction of the chain. Forward vertical integration is more common. Company gains greater control over distribution. It helps them getting closer to the customer. For example, an airline sets up a subsidiary to distribute or market products to consumers such as buying-out a hotel chain or car rental operation. Figure 3: Forward vertical integration Tour operator Principal Travel agent Backward vertical integration is buying upward in the distribution chain. In contrast to forward vertical integration, company gains greater control over supplies using backward vertical integration. For instance, First Choice is a tour operator which also has an airline named First Choice Airways, or Thomas Cook Holidays setting up Thomas Cook Airways. Principal Figure 4: Backward vertical integration Tour operator Travel agent Key historical developments Socio-economic Leisure time: Tourism currently very popular and it is widely acknowledged as a global social phenomenon. In most advanced developed countries, the natural of society has now changed from an economy based on manufacturing and production to focus on the services and consumer industries. Simultaneously, the disposable income and the amount of leisure time and holiday in many countries increased in the post-war period. Therefore, employees have the opportunity to engage in the new forms of consumption such as tourism. Incomes/holiday taking: The income is produced from wages, profits and interest, has increased every year. The UK economy is one of the strongest in Europe, levels of disposable income and consumer credit are rising and expenditure on leisure is growing at around 6 per cent. Depend on that, employees life is improved. They can spend time to enjoy their life such as travel without worry too much about money. Most people today will have travelled abroad and expect to take at least one holiday a year. When tourists are willing to pay for travel, tourism industry will generate more profit. Car ownership: By the early 1900s the car was being used for public transport in most cities. But it wasnt until the 1950 when the car really took off. There were only 8,000 cars in the whole of Britain at the start of the 20th century. By the end of the century the car population had soared to 21 million. Car ownership statistics gives an indication of the level of personal mobility in a population (domestic, continental travel). In 1989 in Britain, each car was used for an average of 30 trips per week, which declined to 24 by 2006. The distance travelled by car per week slightly decreased. Car ownership in the UK has increased considerably in recent decades. It is not uncommon for a household owning two or more cars in nowadays. Technological Transportation is an essential need in the tourism sector. It is divided into different areas such as air, road, rail, sea. Transportation is a tool to assist travellers to get to where they want to go. Sea: Up until the 1920s the only way to travel abroad was by boat. It used to take days/weeks to travel abroad. Nowadays, ships are mainly used for ferries to mainland Europe and for cruises. Road: Road travel is the first method people used to travel. In the past, people used to travel by horses, camels,  or even humans carrying goods over dirt tracks that often followed game trails. The most famous road in the past is Silk Road. The start of the Silk Road was on 2nd century BC when Chinese ambassador Zhang Qian visited the countries of Central Asia with diplomatic mission. Thus, travel by road is the pioneer in tourism. Nowadays, road travel can be buses, private cars, bicycles, motorbike, etc. People using those transportations to travel are much faster than in the past. Rail: After sea and road, rail is the third method people use to travel. By the end of the 2nd world war (1940s) the rail network covered nearly every town and village. Japan is the country famous for mass and high-speed trains. Moreover, Japan has an impressive number of subway systems. Air: Travel by air is the latest and fastest transportation in the world. The first commercial flight from the UK was to Paris in 1919, but it was very expensive. In the 1970 the introduction of the Boeing 747 brought flying cost down dramatically and open doors to mass tourism. In our time, people can travel from one place to another place very convenience. For example, a flight from Singapore to Vietnam only need 4 hours including food and beverage in the plane, while traveling by sea needs days. As we can see, tourism cannot develop without technological. It is a part has a great contribution to the tourism industry. Business developments Airlines/air travel: Airlines or air travel play a very important role in the travel and tourism industry. Early forms of technology in the travel and tourism industry were systems which linked tour operators to travel agencies via terminals and allowed travel agents to make bookings through the system. Meanwhile, airlines developed computer reservation systems (CRS). Airlines started to use computers in the 1950s to store and change the huge amount of information they needed to access. The CRS was used internally by airlines, and agents would use the OAG publication to look up flight times etc., and then telephone the airline to make a booking. Tour operators: The role of tour operators is to put together all the different components that make up a holiday and sell them as packages to the consumer. They make contracts with hoteliers, airlines and other transport companies to put the package together. All the holiday details are incorporated into a brochure which is distributed either to travel agents or directly to customers. In simple terms, they organise and package different elements of the tourism experience, then offer the product for sale to the public through different mediums like leaflets, brochures, advertisements, etc. Travel agents: The role of travel agents is to give advice and information and sell and administer bookings for a number of tour operators. They also sell flights, ferry bookings, car hire, insurance and accommodation as separate products. Thus, they are distributors of products. Increasingly, travel agents also do a little tour operating, for example putting together a holiday for a group. Some industry professionals believe that the role of the travel agent is in decline as many people are booking their own holidays and travel on the Internet or by telephone directly to tour operators. Conclusion In conclusion, this assignment helps me know more about the structure of travel, tourism and hospitality and key historical developments of its industry. Hence, I will know how tourism and hospitality work. Briefly, tourism and hospitality industry is one of the largest industries in the world. It plays a very important role in the industry. There are many sectors which contribute and help to generate the tourism and hospitality industry. They are indispensable parts of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.

Symbolic Imagery in Langston Hughes Poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers

Symbolic Imagery in Langston Hughes' Poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers and Mother To Son Langston Hughes uses symbolism throughout his poetry. In the poems 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' and 'Mother To Son', Langston Hughes uses symbolism to convey his meaning of the poems to the readers. Readers may make many interpretations about the symbols used throughout these poems. Throughout the poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' Hughes uses metaphorical statements to suggest to the reader what the soul of the African American has been through. The symbols of the old rivers, from which the African American ideal has risen, can be interpreted in many different ways. They can represent the birth and growth of the African American culture, and some of the most significant moments of their past. The symbolism in 'Mother To Son' is used to portray a life of struggle that African Americans must strive to conquer. The words written in this poem represent the pride and knowledge of a group of outstanding people. Reader response varies widely due to the use of symbolism in Langston Hughes works. Throughout the poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' Hughes uses the word 'I' (4). Some people interpret this word not merely as one man but instead the embodiment of the African American culture. In the poem Hughes says 'I've known rivers' (1) this may be interpreted to mean that the African People have seen those times that are represented by the rivers and flourished because of them. This poem can be interpreted to mean that the African Americans accomplishments and history is being shown by the rivers. Hughes is saying that the culture of these people has ?grown deep like the rivers? (3). It has become a plethora of ... ...n his poetry. Hughes creates many responses to these poems through the use of symbolism, which he may otherwise not have been able to do. Works Cited Dove, Rita, and Marilyn Nelson. ?Langston Hughes and Harlem.? Literature An Introduction To Fiction, Poetry, And Drama. Eds. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia 3rd ed. New York: Longman, 2003. 770 Hughes, Langston. ?The Negro Speaks of Rivers.? Literature An Introduction To Fiction, Poetry, And Drama. Eds. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia 3rd ed. New York: Longman, 2003. 759 Hughes, Langston. ?Mother To Son.? Literature An Introduction To Fiction, Poetry, And Drama. Eds. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia 3rd ed. New York: Longman, 2003. 759 Pinckney, Darryl. ?Black Identity In Langston Hughes.? Literature An Introduction To Fiction, Poetry, And Drama. Eds. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia 3rd ed. New York: Longman, 2003. 772

Gender Biased Culture

History of ancient world have shown that gender biased cultures have been in existence for more than thousand of years. The movie Mulan is a perfect example for a gender biased culture by giving the power to the men and withholding it from women. As I grew up in a gender biased cultures like India and Middle East, I can relate this movie with the gender issues in my generation. For many years, woman in these cultures must be fully covered from head to toe when in public, are not allowed to work, and are not allowed to drive.Mulan Fa, the main character in the movie, comes to her elderly fathers defense and refuses to let him go and fight in the Emperor's army. She takes matters into her own hands and cuts her hair and puts on her fathers armor to become a man and take his place in the battle. When my father was immigrated to United States America, I and my mother have to stay in India until I finish my high school. In the movie, Mulan is an only child and her father has a physical di sability, so Mulan and her mother ended up having to take on traditionally male roles in the house for their family to get by.When I was little, I helped my mother with chores outside my home such as running to stores to buy groceries, pay bills, etc. In my culture, when a girl hits puberty, she is not allowed to go outside of home by herself or without covering from head to toe with hijab. So when I hit puberty I was stopped by my grandparents from going out of my house except for school. After I moved to United States, I started to work part time as I go to school. So, I was the first woman in my family to go to work and drive.In the movie, Mulan feels that she should be able to do all the things males do and do them with pride and dignity. Likewise, it was hard for me as I grew up as a tomboy. If a female follows a male's style of life are seen as tomboys and are outlawed in my society. Even my mother did not like to keep me in house but she was afraid of the society we have live d in. So, my parents have decided to move to United States as I can have a life with freedom especially from gender biased culture.Like in the movie Mulan, in my culture, men traditionally have the rigorous and more physically demanding chores around the house as in; taking out the trash, mowing lawns, and working to provide for the family Whereas women traditionally have less physically demanding tasks such as having dinner ready and on the table when the husband comes home, they are supposed to clean the house and take care of kids and strictly forbidden from working. This movie came when I was 12 but I saw this movie when I was 18. I liked that movie so much and I thought I was like Mulan. I think this gender biased culture is unhealthy for both gender.It is unfair for men as they must choose their true selves and it is unfair for women and girls as they cannot develop their own talent if its too masculine. The story of this movie Mulan seems to be known and told for more than th ousands of years. The chinese in the ancient world wore the dress called Hanfu (â€Å"kwintessential†). When Mulan and the other girls go to see the matchmaker they are all wearing Hanfu. When every family is told that it must send a man to fight in the war her father prepares to go but Mulan decides to go in his stead In order to do this she has to cut her hair short and dress as a man.The movie supports the Mulan story where women must cross-dress to achieve the same accomplishments as men. The movie Mulan summarizes all of the cultures beliefs and thoughts on gender myths and determination. Even now, in some asian countries like in India, China, killing female babies and fetus is still happening. It is because of belief in many cultures that a male can support a family but not female. In many cultures since the beginning of time have had the same attitude towards gender and sex; they are in favor of the masculine male.

Essay Sample about Summer Traveling to Washington DC

Essay Sample about Summer Traveling to Washington DC Almost everyone agrees that summer is the best time for traveling, especially considering the summer break from school. All countries welcome new visitors and are ready to offer their attractions and places of interest. Among the great many cities in the United States of America, Washington DC is always considered a special place of interest. Not many people are aware that although the capital city was named after George Washington, it wasnt his idea. In fact, the first president used to call the city â€Å"The Federal City.† It was called Washington DC only after Washington’s death. This city is very different from other large cities in the Unites States. You wont find high buildings or skyscrapers here. The highest building in Washington is the monument to George Washington and to the Capitol. The Capitol is found in the center of the city. Its situated on Capitol Hill; that is the highest point in the city. This building was named after the section of a Roman temple and serves as the location for the government seat. On the top of the main building is a huge dome. Its height reaches 285 feet, crowned by the bronze Statue of Freedom, which is 19 feet in height (Cooper, 2015). Another interesting and significant place is the Library of Congress which is composed of buildings clustered in three sections. The oldest is the Thomas Jefferson Building, constructed in the Italian Renaissance style. The Library of Congress performs the function of the national library. In addition to government committees and members of Congress, the representatives of the judicial and executive branches of the parliament, researches, scholars, artists, and scientists can also visit it. Broad Pennsylvania Avenue stretches from the Capitol to the White House. Each time a new president is inaugurated, the whole procession follows along this route. The White House, situated at Pennsylvania Avenue, is the official residence of the US presidents. An interesting fact is that all US presidents have lived there, except for George Washington. This building is composed of a number of rooms used for specific functions. For example, Blue and Green Rooms are used for international meetings of ministers and ambassadors and the East Room and the State Dining Room serve as official places for public gatherings (Cooper, 2015). A well-known tribute to the first president of the United States, the George Washington Monument can be found just behind the White House. As the height of the monument reaches 169 feet, it provides a perfect view of the Columbia District; some parts of Virginia and Maryland can also be seen from this location. The end of the mall is best known as the location for another famous monument – the Lincoln Memorial. Hardly anyone can pass this place by without spending a few minutes viewing the monument. This marble statue represents a man who was the 16-th president of America. Every time individuals view the tribute, they feel respect for the historic figure that played such an important role during the time of the Civil War – arguably, the most difficult time in the United States history. Lincoln’s sizeable influence on slavery abolishment, restoration of the government, and improving the economy of the entire country was a great contribution to America. One more place that surely can be considered significant is the Smithsonian Institution. As the story goes, Englishman James Smithson, who had never been to the United States, donated half a million dollars for one purpose – to make general knowledge and education popular among all people. This institution includes art galleries, scientific institutes, The National Museum, The Observatory, publishing centers, and even zoos! Fords Theater, another significant location, is located in the downtown business area. As it has been used for many stage performances beginning 1860, this theater is truly a historic one. In addition, it is known for a tragic event. It is in this location where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in April, 1865 (Cooper, 2015). When visiting Washington DC, you have so many wonderful places to visit that represent the history of the United States government as well as its modern day functions. Regardless of which ones you choose to experience, you are certain to get a great sense of the American spirit.