A Digital Tour of the History and Significance of the U.S. Capitol

  Before starting my fourth blog post, I would like to thank the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies again for sponsoring the Passion Project Program. I have only one more post left in the series after this post, but I have loved every second of creating this blog. In this post, I will talk about the Crypt by sharing its history of construction, some of the unique pieces in the room, the use of the room, and how it became known as the Crypt. Charles Bulfinch designed and oversaw the construction of the Crypt. He completed the Crypt in 1827 after he finished the rest of his work on the center area of the Capitol in 1826. Unlike other spaces I have covered in this blog with involvement from Bulfinch, people credit this space entirely to Bulfinch. Bulfinch’s design for the Crypt is solemn and sturdy. Bulfinch and his staff placed forty sandstone columns in the space that hold up the vaulted ceiling and all the weight above the room. They also used stone from Maryland for the floor, wh...

Before talking about the Old Supreme Court Chamber, I would like to thank the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies for creating and sponsoring the Passion Project Program. I love sharing the unique history of the Capitol Building, and it is only possible because of the Gould Center’s support. In this post, I will discuss the Old Supreme Court Chamber by highlighting its history of construction, unique architectural features, uses over time, and some important Supreme Court decisions that occurred in this room.  Just like some of the other spaces I have covered already, Benjamin Henry Latrobe proposed designs in 1806 to completely renovate the north area of the Capitol where the Senate resided at the time. Congress approved and funded the renovation, and Latrobe started the work. His designs for the renovation included a room he intended the Supreme Court to use. He planned the room to have a fireproof vaulted ceiling. His plans required very intricate architectural planning because ...

  Before talking about National Statuary Hall, I would like to thank the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies again for creating and sponsoring the Passion Project Program. I can create this blog because of the Passion Project Program, and I have loved creating this blog so far. In this post, I will go through Statuary Hall’s history of construction, its unique features, the uses for the space over time, and some famous events that happened in the room.  After the original chamber for the House of Representatives burned during the War of 1812, Benjamin Henry Latrobe designed a new chamber for the House of Representatives. Charles Bulfinch, the person who oversaw the construction of the original Rotunda, oversaw the Hall of the House of Representatives’ construction, and they completed the room in 1819. Latrobe wanted the room to resemble an ancient Greek amphitheater, which highlights a theme in the Capitol Building of portraying and trying to represent the classical western ci...

Before getting started, I would like to thank the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies for creating and sponsoring the Passion Project Program. I can create this blog because of the Passion Project Program, and I am extremely excited to share the US Capitol’s unique features and history. In this post, I will go through the Rotunda’s history of construction, the Rotunda’s unique features, and how Congress currently uses the Rotunda. The Capitol Rotunda has always been central to the US Capitol Building. When there was a contest in 1793 to decide who to hire to design the new US Capitol Building, Doctor William Thornton won the competition with no formal architectural training. His design’s centerpiece was a Rotunda that anchored both sides of Congress. While William Thornton won the competition in 1793, the construction of the Rotunda itself did not start until 1818 due to a lack of materials and funding, along with the burning of the Capitol during the War of 1812. The second person who...

First, I would like to thank the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies for sponsoring the Gould Passion Project Program and giving me the opportunity to explore the history and significance of the US Capitol. I am proud to be part of the Gould Passion Project Program, and I am so excited to share my findings with the world.  My Gould Passion project seeks to share the unique stories and significance of the US Capitol Building. As a government and history dual-major who interned in the House of Representatives during the fall semester, I have always had a passion for American government and history. I would love to explore my passion further and share it with a wider audience. I plan on researching the history and architecture of five of the most significant rooms of the Capitol: the Rotunda, Statuary Hall, the Old Supreme Court Chamber, the Old Senate Chamber, and the current House Chamber. For each of these rooms, I will research the history of construction, its unique architectural...