National Monument to the Forefathers

Welcome to Plymouth, Massachusetts. I am delighted to be your guide today as we explore a profound, yet astonishingly overlooked, chapter of American history. …

We now stand directly before the primary eastern face of the monument's massive octagonal base. Reach out and touch the cool, rough hewn granite. …

Tilt your head all the way back and gaze up at the colossal figure piercing the sky. This is Faith. …

Walking clockwise around the base, we arrive at the first of the four seated subsidiary statues. This solemn female figure represents Morality. …

Continuing our circumambulation, we come to the imposing male figure representing Law. We have moved from the internal realm of personal morality to the external realm of civil society. …

We now step to the next quadrant of the monument to encounter the beautiful, triumphant figure of Education. If a society has established faith, cultivated morality, and instituted just laws, it faces one final, existential…

We have now arrived at the culmination of the architect's grand design. This is Liberty. …

As we conclude our walk around the main statues, step around to the western face of the monument's base. Here, carved into the granite, is a profound quotation from William Bradford, the man who served as the governor of the…

We have now completed our circle around the National Monument to the Forefathers. We have walked step by step through the blueprint. …