My Journey
Chad Osmanski
Introduction to My Journey
Transcendentalism is a course of action and beliefs that first started in the early 19th century. Transcendentalists believe our society limits the importance of an individual and they choose not conform to everyday society and instead pride themselves in becoming more self-reliant. On my journey my goal is to re-live the history of the United States and try and figure out how our society came to be. The main focus of the trip is going to be the formation and structure of the United States government but I am also going to look into the history of other parts of the world while throwing in a bit of leisure time as well. Most of my stops will be free so money is not a concern on my trip. On my trip I plan on visiting 3 of the most prominent cities in forming and maintaining our government and forming the society we know today. Those cities include Boston, Massachusetts; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Washington, DC.
Day 1 and 2 Itinerary for My Journey
I am going to start my road trip by driving to Boston, Massachusetts, leaving at around 11 am. This is approximately a 20 hour drive, so I am going to split it up into 2 days of driving. I will stop once I get tired of driving and find a cheap motel on the side of the road to rest at. I am not going to experience anything life changing on this drive and it is just to get me started on my journey. I plan on arriving in Boston at night so I will not truly start my journey until the next morning.
For a map of my road trip click the link below.
Day 3 Itinerary of My Journey
I am starting my trip in Boston, arguably the most significant city in the American Revolution. In 1630 puritan colonists from England founded the city, and it became the center of the New England region. Boston is most notably known for the Boston Tea Party, which helped spark the Revolution. Since the Freedom Trail will take a very long time , I am going to visit just two attractions; the Freedom Trail, and Fenway Park. The Freedom Trail is a 3 mile walking trail that connects the 16 of the cities most historically significant locations of the city. These include the Bunker Hill Monument, the location of the Boston Massacre, and Paul Revere’s House. I really enjoy history especially American history so this would be an amazing walk for me. At each of the 16 stops on the trail I will be able to visualize the past and just marvel at the history located in the city. After the Freedom Trail tour is complete I plan on going to a baseball game at Fenway Park. I am going to plan my trip to match up with the baseball schedule of the Boston Red Sox, and line my trip up with a night home game. Although this trip is primarily going to be for American history, I am also a very big sports fan and Fenway Park is one of the most famous stadiums in any sport. I can’t experience Boston without going to a game at Fenway Park.
For more information on the Freedom Trail click the link below.
A Map of the Freedom Trail
A Map of the Freedom Trail. N.d. Map. wordpress.com.Web. 20 Dec 2013.
Day 4 Itinerary for My Journey
After the baseball game, I am going to set off towards Philadelphia. It is a 5 and a half hour drive so I plan on driving as far as I can that night and finding a motel somewhere in between Boston and Philly. Philadelphia also serves a huge part in America’s past. The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were signed in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Philly was also the Capital of the United States before Washington, DC took its place. While in Philadelphia I plan on visiting three very popular spots, the Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, and the Philadelphia Zoo. The Liberty Bell is approximately 2000 pounds, and it was used to signify important events. The bell last rung in 1846 for George Washington’s birthday. At the Liberty Bell Center they will show a video on the history of the bell. This will informative and very neat to see as I learn more about our history. As I mentioned before Independence Hall is the location of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Like Fenway Park, the Philadelphia Zoo isn’t going to help me further understand our history but it will be a great experience as I am also very fond of animal life. The Philadelphia Zoo is the first zoo ever created in our country, and it is home to 2000 animals. Philadelphia is a very important stop for me and it will help me learn a lot more about our past and the start of the United States as we know it.
For more information on the Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall click the links below.
A Photo of the Liberty Bell
Day 5 Itinerary of My Journey
Statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial
Day 6 Itinerary of My Journey
On my second day in Washington, DC I will visit 4 specific locations. These include the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Smithsonian Museum. The first two veterans memorials are for my two grandfathers who each fought in one of these wars. Although neither was killed in the wars, my Grandpa Larry had friends who lost their lives in the Vietnam War and gave me specific names to look for if I ever visited the memorial. The Korean Memorial has a quote that reads “Freedom is not free” and these two memorials prove that, and I just want to spend some time recognizing what the veterans before me have done. These two memorials won’t take much time (only about a half hour each) so I will have plenty of time left for my other two visits. First I will go to the Holocaust Memorial Museum to end my half day of paying respects. At the Holocaust Memorial Museum I will be given an identity of a person who actually experienced the holocaust and they will be giving me updates on my person as I walk through a museum of anti-semitic posters and Hitler’s rise to power. The first half of my second day in the Nation’s Capital will be dedicated to giving thanks to everyone who came before me and recognizing the hardships of those in the wars and the Holocaust. For the second half of my day I am going to visit the Smithsonian Museum. The Smithsonian is known as one of the best museums in the world for natural history and it is a must see for me if I am visiting Washington, DC. The Smithsonian will be a nice change of pace in my day and as I said before I want to visit all of these sites in Washington, DC because I am fascinated by history and how our nation came to be.
For more information on The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Smithsonian Museum click the links below.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Conclusion to My Journey
From my journey through America’s past I learned a lot about the formation of our country and the society we live in. I took my time to pay respect to those who gave their lives for our freedom and also spent time learning more about the founding fathers of our country. Boston and Philadelphia are arguably the two most important cities in the creation of our nation, while Washington, DC is easily the most important city in maintaining the country we know now. For example, Boston’s Freedom Trail will run me through the start of the American Revolution and Philadelphia was the home to our nation’s capital before Washington, DC took that title. All in all, this trip showed me how the society live in was formed and will enable me to form a fair opinion on whether I should break away from society like a transcendentalist or not.
Citations of My Sources
"the Freedom Trail." thefreedomtrail.org. N.p. Web. 20 Dec 2013.
United States. Department of the Interior. History and Culture- Independence Hall. Web.
"Museum Information." ushmm.org. N.p. Web. 20 Dec 2013.
"About Us- Smithsonian." si.edu. N.p. Web. 20 Dec 2013.