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WHO: Top government officials (President, Vice President, Secretary, etc.) 

WHAT: All the bills are passed here. 

WHERE: East Coast, Virginia

WHEN : Government work everyday unless a certain situation comes up.

WHY : Never really thought about a certain reason for  big government work is to be done at this district only.

HOW: Government officials are to come to work along with other government employees

Because I never got the chance to visit Washington D.C., I hope to visit the Smithsonian Museum. Other than that, I feel like this trip is not only going to be super fun, but very educational. As a class, we will be able to cover majority of the subjects more in depth. I really do hope to get a chance to meet both the president and the first lady. Through Tumblr, I had seen gifs that portrays both people as a couple who's both understanding of others and caring. It would be an honor to meet them. 

The White House - The Home of Presidents

Tiffany Tran 

3300 Quimby Road 

San Jose, CA 95148

December 20, 2013

Zoe Lofgren 

District Office 

635 North 1st Street, 

Suite B

San Jose, CA 95112

Dear Miss Lofgren:

As a senior government student, I had learned so much in the past months about the government positions and somewhat on how the White House is run. But because we're just looking at words and pictures, it is not the same as learning about it in person at the place itself. I feel that every student who is taking the Government class should get an opportunity to visit the place to understand the government more in depth. Therefore I ask to request this wonderful opportunity to be available because it will be an experience worth while. 

The place where I would most want to see is the China Room. The red themed room was inspired by the 

red dress that was worn by the First Lady Grace Coolidge. The room itself is both beautiful and elegant. Though the room itself is mostly red, I find that the bright chandelier really brightens up the room and also gives it a pop! The china dishes itself looks very beautiful, even if it is a bit hard to see in this picture.

Overall, the White House is one of the most beautifully designed monuments in Washington D.C. From the rose garden, to the big columns, and then the size of the place really does attract anyone who walks by. For that, I think the Founding Fathers made the White House the way it is today because they want to make the President's work load and meetings more light on him, since it is at the White House itself. I also think that it is because they want to make sure that this house has everything the President needed while they are in office. I hope you accept my request to visit the White House one day. 

Sincerely, 

Tiffany Tran

THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND

How does the Supreme Court Work?
- every year receives thousands of petitions from lower courts

Section 2 of the Article Three of the United States Constitution outlines the jurisdiction of the federal courts in the United States: 

The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State; between Citizens of different States; between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects. 

Cases?
- Federal government is a party in the case
- amount of damage: $75,000
- arising under the constitution, laws, or treaties of the U.S.

AN OVERVIEW OF SEVERAL MONUMENTS

Lincoln Monument
What?
- building form of a Green Doric temple
- Contains a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln
- inscriptions of two well known speech: The Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address
Who:
- National monument built to honor the 16th president, Lincoln
Where?
- National Mall in Washington D.C
When?
- 1922
How?
- Lincoln Monument Association build it to dedicate it to Lincoln two years after his assassination.

White House
Who?
-James Hoban
What?
-Official resident and workplace of the President of the United States
How?
-8 years of construction
-Washington chose the place to build it
When?
-1792-1800
Where?
-1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington D.C.

U.S. Capitol Building
Who?
- Pierre Charles L'Enfant
What?
- meeting place of the U.S. congress
Where?
- Capital Hill
When?
- Senate wing: 1800
- House wing: 1811
How?
- Washington selected the area

Relief Portrait Plaques of Lawgivers

 Hammurabi:
He is the king of Babylonia. I think he was chosen because he wrote the Code of Hammurabi. It is recognized for it's legal literature as one of the earliest surviving legal code.








Simon De Montfort:
He is an English statesman. He advocated for a representative government. He also established an early form representative government in English. I think that is why he was chosen as well.








Thomas Jefferson:
Jefferson was one of the formal presidents of the United States. To be exact, he was the third. I think his picture was chosen because he wrote the Deceleration of Independence and the Statue of Virginia for Religious Freedom.

"COME. EXPLORE. ENJOY. YOUR NATIONAL ARCHIVES EXPERIENCE — DEMOCRACY STARTS NOW."

Because the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are old, the paper itself is this yellow colored paper with a burnt like edge. The texture looks very crinkly. You can find these documents at the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. Why are the documents important? Well, the constitution is the key to all our rights as citizens of the United States of America. It gives us the basic freedom, we need such as the freedom of speech and religion, and the rights that are needed to protect ourselves, such as the rights to be trialed. The National Archives and Records Administration is responsible for preserving the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.  

Springtime With Cherry Blossom

If we do get to go to Washington D.C., we wouldn't want to wear a belt or a shoes with a metal buckle because it would be very inconvenient if you walk pass metal detector and the security stops. Better way to substitute for a belt is a really long piece of shoelace. It may sound weird, but it is both comfortable and you will for sure won't hold up the line when having to walk pass the metal detector. As for shoes, go for the basic running shoes or casual skate shoes/ sneakers. You're on a field trip that seems like a vacation, so don't bring your own lunch, especially when you're touring one of the major monuments. No one would want to clean up YOUR mess if you made any. Because we are going to be on the East coast, the weather is different from California. Before leaving to D.C., make sure to check the weather to bring the clothes that are comfortable and is right for the weather.

Barbara Boxer                                                                 Dianne Feinstein

Our Senators for California are Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. Our district representative is Zoe Lofgren. To meet my representative, all I need to do is to set up an appointment and tell them my purpose. I would like to ask them how they manage their time with their really busy schedule.

Zoe Lofgren