The Washington Monument, the Capitol Dome, and the Jefferson Memorial

The Washington Monument, an obelisk that soars to meet the sky and the Capitol Dome painting of George Washington's ascension to Heaven, surrounded by 13 angels representing the original 13 colonies, clearly cast George Washington as the embodiment of the spirit of America.
The Jefferson Memorial memorializes the man who wrote the American Declaration of Independence and more than any other person, represents the intellect and enlightenment that formed the basis of America's grand experiment in self governance.
Thomas is a frequent speaker and panelist on topics such as the design of Washington, D.C.; the history of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; and the design of commemorative works for such institutions as the National Building Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, the American Institute of Architects, and the American Society of Landscape Architects. In cooperation with the National Building Museum, he has initiated and participated in numerous symposiums and exhibitions, including Monuments and Memory (2001), Framing A Capital City (2007), and Power, Architecture, and Politics: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the Design of Washington (2010). He is the editor of the forthcoming publication, A Century of Design: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, 1910-2010.

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Fascinating content, the speaker is difficult to follow, however.