Atestat Limba Engleza
Atestat Limba Engleza
Atestat Limba Engleza
ELEV: COORDONATOR:
SURDU ALEXANDRA ALICE PROF. CONEA DANIELA
NU, MULȚUMESC
DESCĂRCAȚI APLICAȚIA
Contents
1) INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………..…4
2) CHAPTER I: THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE WHITE HOUSE………..............5
● The White House during 1789-1800
● Construction of the White House
● Naming Conventions
3) CHAPTER II: THE EVOLUTION OF THE WHITE HOUSE…………………….8
● The 1814 fire and rebuilding
● Overcrowding and building the West Wing
● Truman Reconstruction
● Kennedy Restoration
● The White House since the Kennedy Restoration
4) CHAPTER III: THE BLACK HISTORY OF THE WHITE HOUSE……………..13
5) CHAPTER IV: WHITE HOUSE TODAY………………………………................15
● Layout and amenities
● The Executive Residence
● West Wing
● East Wing
● Public access
7) CHAPTER V: WHITE HOUSE MAJOR ATTACKS…………………………….....20
8) CHAPTER VI: WHITE HOUSE AND THE SECRET ORGANISATIONS………21
9) CHAPTER VII: INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE………..23.
10) CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………...24
11) SITOLOGY………………………………………………………………………...25
Introduction
During these four years of high school, I have heard a lot of students complaining
about the history classes, but they clearly did not understand the importance of learning
history. They did not understand what a big impact our history has on us today. And they
certainly did not understand how learning history can help us confine to the present and
shape our future.
This is why, when I chose “ The History of the White House” as the topic of my
certification paper, the widespread reaction was “Why did you chose this topic? It will
make your paper boring and less entertaining than others”. This is a common
misconception, that everything which is associated with history becomes boring, less
attractive and less entertaining for today’s world. My answer was: “For two hundred years,
the White House has stood as a symbol of the Presidency, of the United States government
and of the American nation. I assume that each of you wants to visit the White House
someday, but as tragic as it may seem, none of you wants to know the story behind those
walls. Most of you consider the American people and their democracy as role models, but
how many of you are willing to discover their history, too? Not so many, because
nowadays, when everything happens at the speed of light and everyone focuses on the
present and the future, the only thing that matters is that it exists, the rough path our
ancestors had to pursue fading into obscurity.”.
This paperwork will be the perfect opportunity to take a look behind the cold walls of
the White House, to depict the beautiful history that made it one of the greatest symbols of
America and also, one of the greatest landmarks in the world, presented in a modern way,
which makes use of technology and new presentation techniques. Moreover, this paper
will contain both the past and the current situation of the White House: its development
since the time it was built, the hard times White House has undergone, the controversies
about its name, the black history behind the White House and some fun facts, to create a
relaxed atmosphere.
In conclusion, as Michelle Obama, one of the first ladies of United States said “This
is what the White House is all about. It’s “People’s House”. It’s a place that is steeped in
history, but it is also a place where everyone should feel like home”, I invite you on a
wonderful trip back in time, to find out more about our “home”.
CHAPTER I: THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE WHITE HOUSE
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the President of the United
States, located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. It has been the residence of
every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800.
1789–1800
Following his April 1789 inauguration, President George Washington occupied two
executive mansions in New York City: the Samuel Osgood House at 3 Cherry Street (April
1789 – February 1790), and the Alexander Macomb House at 39–41 Broadway (February–
August 1790). In May 1790, New York began construction of Government House for his
official residence, but he never occupied it. The national capital moved to Philadelphia in
December 1790.
The July 1790 Residence Act named Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the temporary
national capital for a 10-year period while the Federal City was under construction. The City
of Philadelphia rented Robert Morris 's house at 190 High Street (now 524–30 Market Street)
for Washington's presidential residence. The first president occupied the Market Street
mansion from November 1790 to March 1797, and altered it in ways that may have
influenced the design of the White House.
Construction of the White House began with the laying of the cornerstone on
October 13, 1792, although there was no formal ceremony. The main residence, as well as
foundations of the house, were built largely by enslaved and free African-American laborers,
as well as employed Europeans. Much of the other work on the house was performed by
immigrants, many not yet with citizenship. The initial construction took place over a period
of eight years and although it was not finished yet, the White House was ready to be occupied
on November 1, 1800.
Shortages, including material and labor, forced modifications to the earlier
plan developed by French engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant for a "palace" that was five times
larger than the house that was eventually built.
The finished structure contained only two main floors instead of the planned three,
and a less costly brick served as a lining for the stone façades. When construction was
finished, the porous sandstone walls were whitewashed with a mixture of lime, rice glue,
casein, and lead, giving the house its familiar color and name.
As it is a famed structure in America, several replicas of the White House have been
constructed.
Naming Conventions
Naming Conventions
On Saturday, November 1, 1800, John Adams became the first president to take
residence in the building. Adams lived in the house only briefly before Thomas Jefferson
moved into the "pleasant country residence" in 1801. Despite his complaints that the house
was too big , Jefferson considered how the White House might be added to. With Benjamin
Henry Latrobe, he helped lay out the design for the East and West Colonnades, small wings
Henry Latrobe, he helped lay out the design for the East and West Colonnades, small wings
that help conceal the domestic operations of laundry, a stable and storage. Today, Jefferson's
colonnades link the residence with the East and West Wings.
In 1814, during the War of 1812, the White House was set ablaze by British troops
during the Burning of Washington and much of it was affected by these fires. Only the
exterior walls remained, and they had to be torn down and mostly reconstructed because of
weakening from the fire and subsequent exposure to the elements, except for portions of the
south wall. Of the numerous objects taken from the White House when it was attacked by
British troops, only two have been recovered. Employees and slaves rescued a painting of
George Washington and in 1939 a Canadian man returned a jewelry box to President Franklin
D. Roosevelt, claiming that his grandfather had taken it from Washington.
After the fire, President James Madison resided in The Octagon House from 1814
to 1815, and then the Seven Buildings from 1815 to the end of his term. Meanwhile, both
architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe and Hoban contributed to the design and oversight of the
reconstruction, which lasted from 1815 until 1817. The southern part was constructed in 1824
during the James Monroe administration; the northern part was built six years later. Though
Latrobe proposed similar parts before the fire in 1814, both were built as designed by Hoban.
By the time of the American Civil War, the White House had become overcrowded. The
location of the White House was questioned, as it provided conditions ripe for malaria and other
unhealthy condition. Brigadier General Nathaniel Michler was tasked to propose solutions to
address these concerns. He proposed abandoning the use of the White House as a residence and
designed a new estate for the first family at Meridian Hill in Washington, D.C., but Congress
rejected the plan.
When Chester Arthur took office in 1881, he ordered renovations to the White House to take
place as soon as the recently widowed Lucretia Garfield moved out. Over twenty wagonloads of
furniture and household items were removed from the building and sold at a public auction. All
that was saved were bust portraits of John Adams and Martin Van Buren. A proposal was made to
build a new residence south of the White House, but it failed to gain support.
In 1891, First Lady Caroline Harrison proposed major extensions to the White House,
including a National Wing on the east for a historical art gallery, and a wing on the west for
official functions. The plan was supported by Colonel Theodore, but it was ultimately rejected.
However, in 1902 Theodore Roosevelt hired McKim to carry out expansions and renovations
in a neoclassical style suited to the building's architecture, removing the Tiffany screen and all
Victorian additions. Charles McKim himself designed and managed the project, which gave more
living space to the President's large family by removing a staircase in the West Hall and moving
executive office staff from the second floor of the residence into the new West Wing.
executive office staff from the second floor of the residence into the new West Wing.
The West Wing was damaged by fire in 1929, but it was rebuilt during the remaining years of
the Herbert Hoover presidency. In the 1930s, a second story was added, as well as a larger
basement for White House staff, and President Franklin Roosevelt had the Oval Office moved to
its present location: adjacent to the Rose Garden.
In 1948, the house was declared to be in imminent danger of collapse, forcing President
Truman to accept the reconstruction and to live across the street at Blair House from 1949 to
1951. The work, done by the firm of Philadelphia, required the complete dismantling of the
interior spaces, construction of a new load-bearing internal steel frame and the reconstruction of
the original rooms within the new structure. The total cost of the renovations was about $5.7
million. Central air conditioning was added, as well as two additional sub-basements providing
Since the Kennedy restoration, every presidential family has made some changes to the
private quarters of the White House, but the Committee for the Preservation of the White House
must have approved any modifications to the State Rooms. Charged with maintaining the
historical integrity of the White House, the authorized committee works with each First Family—
usually represented by the First Lady, the White House Curator, and the Chief Usher—to
implement the family's proposals without altering the house.
During the Nixon administration (1969–1974), First Lady Pat Nixon refurnished the
Green Room, Blue Room, and Red Room, working with Clement Conger, the curator appointed
by President Richard Nixon. Mrs. Nixon's efforts brought more than 600 artifacts to the house, the
largest acquisition made by any administration. Her husband created the modern press briefing
room over Franklin Roosevelt's old swimming pool and also added a single-lane bowling alley to
the White House basement.
Computers and the first laser printer were brought in during the Carter administration, and
the use of computer technology was expanded during the Reagan administration. A Carter-era
innovation, a set of solar water heating panels that were mounted on the roof of the White House,
was removed during Reagan's presidency. The house was accredited as a museum in 1988.
The White House became one of the first wheelchair-accessible government buildings in
Washington when modifications were made during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who
used a wheelchair because of his paralytic illness. In the 1990s, Hillary Clinton, at the suggestion
of Visitors Office, approved the addition of a ramp in the East Wing corridor. It allowed easy
wheelchair access for the public tours and special events that enter through the secure entrance
building on the east side.
In 2003, the Bush administration reinstalled solar thermal heaters. These units are used to
heat water for landscape maintenance and for the presidential pool and spa. 167 solar panels were
installed at the same time on the roof of the maintenance facility. The changes were not publicized
as a White House spokeswoman said the changes were an internal matter. The story was picked
up by industry trade journals. Also, in 2013, President Barack Obama installed a set of solar
pannels on the roof of the White House.
For many Americans, the White House stands as a symbol of liberty and justice. But its
gleaming facade hides harsh realities, from the slaves who built the house to the presidents who
lived there and shaped the country's racial history, often for the worse. In The Black History of the
White House, Clarence Lusane traces the path of race relations in America by telling a very
specific history — the stories of those African-Americans who built, worked at and visited the
White House.
George Washington owned 10 slaves as an 11-year-old, and more than 300 by the time he
died. The White House hadn't been built yet, so during the 10 years of its construction,
Washington spent time in New York, then moved to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, "he had a
couple of problems." Philadelphia had a law called the Gradual Abolition Act, passed in 1780. It
stated that any slave brought into the state was eligible to apply for their freedom if they were
stated that any slave brought into the state was eligible to apply for their freedom if they were
there for longer than six months. Washington rotated his slaves to get around the law.
More than one in four U.S. presidents were involved in human trafficking and slavery. These
presidents bought, sold, bred and enslaved black people for profit. Of the twelve presidents who
were enslavers, more than half kept people in bondage at the White House.
The black history of the White House is rich in heroic stories of men, women, and children
who have struggled to make the nation live up to the egalitarian and liberationist principles
expressed in its founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the U.S.
Constitution. For over 200 years African Americans and other people of color were legally
disenfranchised and denied basic rights of citizenship, including the right to vote for the person
who leads the country from the White House.
For many African Americans, the "white" of the White House has meant more than just the
building's color; it has symbolized the hue and source of dehumanizing cruelty, domination, and it
has defined the racial relationship between the white people and people of color. Constructed by
black slave labor, the home and office of the President of the United States has embodied different
principles for different people. For whites, whose social privileges and political rights have
always been protected by the laws of the land, the White House has symbolized the power of
freedom and democracy over monarchy. For blacks, whose history is rooted in slavery and the
struggle against white domination, the symbolic power of the White House has shifted along with
each president's relation to black citizenship.
This dramatic part of United Sates’ past was illustrated and well-explained in Clarence
Lusane’s book, “The Black History of the White House”. In this unprecedented work, Clarence
Lusane presents a comprehensive history of the White House from an African American
perspective, illuminating the central role it has played in advancing and achieving equal rights for
all. Here are the stories of those who were forced to work on the construction of the mansion at
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the determined leaders who pressured U.S. presidents to outlaw
slavery.
slavery.
A picture showing some of the slaves who built the White House
Today the group of buildings housing the presidency is known as the White House
Complex. It includes the central Executive Residence flanked by the East Wing and West Wing.
The Chief Usher coordinates day to day household operations. The White House includes: six
stories and 55,000 ft2 of floor space, 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows,
twenty-eight fireplaces, eight staircases, three elevators, five full-time chefs, a tennis court, a
(single-lane) bowling alley (officially called the Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley), a movie theater
(officially called the White House Family Theater), a jogging track, a swimming pool, and a
putting green. It receives up to 30,000 visitors each week.
The Executive Residence
The original residence is in the center. Two colonnades - one on the east and one on the west
- now serve to connect the East and West Wings, added later. The Executive Residence houses
the president's dwelling, as well as rooms for ceremonies and official entertaining. The State Floor
of the residence building includes the East Room, Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room, State
Dining Room, Family Dining Room, Cross Hall, Entrance Hall, and Grand Staircase. The Ground
Floor is made up of the Diplomatic Reception Room, Map Room, China Room, Vermeil Room,
Library, the main kitchen, and other offices. The second floor family residence includes the
Yellow Oval Room, East and West Sitting Halls, the White House Master Bedroom, President's
Dining Room, the Treaty Room, Lincoln Bedroom and Queens' Bedroom, as well as two
additional bedrooms, a smaller kitchen, and a private dressing room. The third floor consists of
the White House Solarium, Game Room, Linen Room, a Diet Kitchen, and another sitting room
(previously used as President George W. Bush's workout room).
West Wing
The West Wing houses the President's office (the Oval Office) and the offices of his senior
staff, with room for about 50 employees. It also includes the Cabinet Room, where the president
conducts business meetings and where the Cabinet meets, as well as the White House Situation
Room, James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, and Roosevelt Room. In 2007, work was completed
on renovations of the press briefing room, adding fiber optic cables and LCD screens for the
display of charts and graphs.
The Oval Office, Roosevelt Room, and other portions of the West Wing were partially
replicated on a sound stage and used as the setting for the popular television show The West
Wing.
The East Wing, which contains additional office space, was added to the White House in
1942. Among its uses, the East Wing has intermittently housed the offices and staff of the First
Lady, and the White House Social Office. Rosalynn Carter, in 1977, was the first to place her
personal office in the East Wing and to formally call it the "Office of the First Lady". The East
Wing was built during World War II in order to hide the construction of an underground bunker to
be used in emergencies. The bunker has come to be known as the Presidential Emergency
Operations Center.
Public Access
Like the others country houses, the White House was opened to the public from the start,
until the early part of the 20th century. President Thomas Jefferson held an open house for his
second inaugural in 1805, and many of the people at his swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol
followed him home, where he greeted them. Those open houses sometimes came along with
incidents: in 1829, President Andrew Jackson had to leave and check in at a hotel, because there
were 22.000 citizens celebrating inside the White House.
Despite this, the practice continued until 1885, when Grover Cleveland arranged a
presidential review held in front of the White House instead of inside, as it was used to at the
traditional open houses.
Jefferson also permitted public tours of his house, which have continued ever since, except
during wartime, and began the tradition of annual receptions on New Year's Day and on the
Fourth of July. Those receptions ended in the early 1930s.
On May 20, 1995, primarily as a response to the Oklahoma City bombing of April 19, 1995,
On May 20, 1995, primarily as a response to the Oklahoma City bombing of April 19, 1995,
the United States Secret Service closed off Pennsylvania Avenue to vehicular traffic. Later, the
closure was extended to the east to 15th Street, and East Executive Avenue, a small street between
the White House and the Treasury Building. This sidewalk served as an area for the daily public
tours of the White House.
These tours were suspended due to the September 11 attacks. In September 2003, they
resumed on a limited basis for groups making prior arrangements through their Congressional
representatives or embassies in Washington for foreign nationals and submitting to background
checks, but the White House remained closed to the public.
White House tours were suspended for most of 2013 due to budget constraints after
sequestration. The White House reopened to the public in November 2013.
Since the time it had been built until today, despite its rigourous protection, White House has
suffered some major attacks which marked the history of the United States. There are some of
them which had a great impact on the evolution of the White House and also to the stability of the
population.
When we think about the White House, the first thing that comes up in our minds is the
building itself. But what about the Presidents who run it? Should we consider them and their
actions as refferences to the name “White House”? Of coure we do, because history is written by
people, not buildings. This is why we should take a look into the secret parts of their lives.
20 out of 45 US presidents have been affiliated with some kind of secret group. Here is a list
of the presidents who have belonged to a secret grup at a point in their lives:
18th US President and famed Union, general Ulysses S. Grant was an Odd Fellow. This fraternal
order has its roots in early modern Europe and was an offshoot off of England's Odd Fellows. The
American version of the organization was officially founded in 1819 in Baltimore. The order
focused on charitable causes and eventually admitted both men and women as members.
Roosevelt wasn't just a Mason. He also belonged to an obscure and ridiculously named
“International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo” group. It resembles less an exclusive secret
society and more a business fraternity. It was a fraternal organization for men in the lumber
industry, and Theodore Rooseveld was one of its most famous members, due to his conservation
work.
Richard Nixon, member of The Order of Red Friars
Founded in 1913, The Order of the Red Friars was technically a semi-secret society at Duke
University. New members were initiated by a member of the Order donned in a red hood and
robe. The society was apparently invested in improving life on campus.
1. George Washinghton, the first President of the United States, was the only one who did
not live in the White House. He died in 1799 before his home could be finished.
2. The architect who designed the White House, James Hoban, was chosen after he won a
competition of design with a house in Dublin who looks almost the same as the White
House.
3. The White House was named after the whitewash used to cover its sandstone walls
4. The first residents of the White House were President John Adams and his wife,
Abigail, in 1800.
5. In 1814, British troops set the White House on fire, but not before sitting down to a
feast with the abandoned dining service and food.
6. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865 while staying at the White House.
7. Since then, the following presidents claimed to hear strange noises coming from the
room where he was murdered.
room where he was murdered.
8. President Truman described it as a “glamorous prison”, while President Warren Harding
used it to host poker parties.
9. There are five full-time chefs, who are allowed to bring their families to live in the
White House.
10. There is a nuclear-proof bunker under the East Wing, each room has bulletproof
windows and a panic button.
11. The White House is managed by the Chief Usher, who supervises over 100 household
staff, from chefs to doormen.
12. The White House receives almost 6.000 visitors a day.
13. At the end of the month, the President receives a bill for his and his family’s personal
food and expenses, which is then deducted from his salary.
14. White House was almost torn down in 1945 because it was in a bad shape.
Conclusion
This journey back in time, from 1972, when the construction of the White House begun, util
today, exploring even the hidden parts of this place and of the lives of its presidents ended, taking
us back here and reading this lines.
As far as I am concerned, while doing the research for this paper I have enriched my general
knowledge, reading a lot of information that should have been known, as it reperesents a major
part of our world’s history, but it is never too late to learn new things.
In my certification paper I tried to combine essential elements from the early history of the White
House with its curent status, highlighting the changes this building suffered over the years and the
influences of people who ran it. Moreover, to add a shade of mystery and to make it more
entertaining, subjects such as interesting facts about the White House and its Presidents’ secret
lives were depicted.
To sum up, even though most people around the world know the White House as the place
where the President of the United States lives, its history is so enduring that the building itself has
come to symbolise not only the presidency of the U.S., but also leadership and political freedom
in America and all over the world.
Sitology
1. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/teacher-resources/the-white-house-symbol-of-
leadership
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House
3. http://www.history.com/topics/white-house
4. http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/721745/Churchill-saw-Lincolns-ghost-top-30-
facts-secrets-White-House-USA-Presidential-elections
5. http://www.npr.org/2011/02/03/133470777/liberty-limited-in-white-houses-black-
history
6. http://www.businessinsider.com/us-presidents-who-were-in-secret-societies-2017-
4/#andrew-johnson-freemasons-7 .