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255-754: The George Washington Masonic National Memorial is a Masonic building and memorial located in Alexandria, Virginia , outside Washington, D.C. It is dedicated to the memory of George Washington , first president of the United States and charter Master of Alexandria Lodge No. 22 (now Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22). The tower is fashioned after the ancient Lighthouse of Ostia in Ostia Antica (or Rome ). The 333-foot (101 m) tall memorial sits atop Shooter's Hill (also known as Shuter's Hill) at 101 Callahan Drive. Construction began in 1922,

510-520: A Freemason noticed the sign in a government warehouse and asked that it to be donated to the memorial. A presentation ceremony was set for June 24, 1948. Truman's arrival at the presentation was significantly delayed, for he had spent the morning giving military orders to begin the Berlin airlift . Freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry ) or simply Masonry includes various fraternal organisations that trace their origins to

765-547: A Freemason to explore Masonry further through other degrees, administered separately from the basic Craft or "Blue Lodge" degrees described here, but generally having a similar structure and meetings. There is much diversity and little consistency in Freemasonry because each Masonic jurisdiction is independent and sets its own rules and procedures while Grand Lodges have limited jurisdiction over their constituent member Lodges, which are ultimately private clubs. The wording of

1020-524: A Mason, he is qualified to join various "Concordant bodies" which offer additional degrees. These organisations are usually administered separately from the Grand Lodges who administer the Craft degrees. The extra degrees vary with locality and jurisdiction . In addition to these bodies, there are further organizations outside of the more traditional Rites of Freemasonry, that require an individual to be

1275-734: A Master Mason before they can join (such as the Rosicrucian Society of England ). Throughout its history, Freemasonry has received criticism and opposition on religious and political grounds. The Catholic Church, some Protestant denominations, and certain Islamic countries or entities have expressed opposition to or banned membership in Free-Masonry. Opposition to Freemasonry is sometimes rooted in anti-Semitism or conspiracy theories , and Freemasons have historically been persecuted by authoritarian states. The Masonic lodge

1530-472: A Sunday in 1923, the ceremony was scheduled for November 1. The ceremony almost did not occur. A short time before the event, contractors discovered that the cornerstone for the memorial had been cut too small. A new cornerstone was quickly fashioned and completed just in time. Alexandria Mayor William Allen Smoot declared a holiday, and all businesses closed except for banks and the U.S. post office. The United States Navy light cruiser USS  Richmond and

1785-528: A U.S. Navy destroyer anchored at the Alexandria torpedo factory as part of the festivities. Trains ran every three minutes into the city of Alexandria in order to accommodate the crowds. An estimated 14,000 Masons, dignitaries, United States armed forces personnel, police, and others marched in a parade from the Alexandria waterfront to Shooter's Hill to kick off the event. During the parade, four United States Army Air Corps planes circled overhead. Among

2040-467: A candidate of national character. Additionally, to guard against the possibility that electors might strategically waste their second votes, it was specified that the first runner-up would become vice president. The resultant method of electing the president and vice president, spelled out in Article   II, Section   1, Clause   3 , allocated to each state a number of electors equal to

2295-502: A case of succession. Debate records from the 1787 Constitutional Convention, along with various participants' later writings on the subject, show that the framers of the Constitution intended that the vice president would temporarily exercise the powers and duties of the office in the event of a president's death, disability or removal, but not actually become the president of the United States in their own right. This understanding

2550-608: A cement floor in the memorial hall on the second floor. Bronze was used for the sashes, doors, doorjambs and other exterior work where connection to the granite was required, and these items were installed by the William H. Jackson Co. of New York. The interior and exterior ironwork was supplied by the Alexandria Iron Works and the Washington Stair and Ornamental Iron Co. Other than the auditorium, no attempt

2805-411: A challenge to party delegate selection rules to improve Reagan's chances. In the end, Ford narrowly won the presidential nomination and Reagan's selection of Schweiker became moot. In the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, which pitted Hillary Clinton against Barack Obama , Clinton suggested a Clinton–Obama ticket with Obama in the vice president slot, which she said would be "unstoppable" against

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3060-505: A change which increased the cost of the structure to $ 3 million. Including landscaping and the endowment, the total cost of the structure had risen to $ 4 million. These plans were revised and elaborated on again by April 1923. Now the memorial was to stand 330 feet (100 m) high. The atrium on the first floor was specified to be 45 feet (14 m) wide by 80 feet (24 m) deep. With the clerestory windows, this hall would be 60 feet (18 m) in height. Meeting rooms would still surround

3315-491: A driving rain. The shovel and pick used to break ground, as well as four small stones from the first two spades of earth turned, were preserved by the Alexandria-Washington Lodge. Excavation of the memorial's foundation began a few days later, with Cranford Paving Co. of Washington, D.C., doing the work. The foundation was roughly hemispherical to provide the greatest stability, and 25 feet (7.6 m) of

3570-617: A fire marshal failed to recognize him when Coolidge's Washington residence was evacuated. John Nance Garner , who served as vice president from 1933 to 1941 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt , claimed that the vice presidency "isn't worth a pitcher of warm piss". Harry Truman , who also served as vice president under Franklin Roosevelt, said the office was as "useful as a cow's fifth teat". Walter Bagehot remarked in The English Constitution that "[t]he framers of

3825-550: A former treasurer of Maryland and brigadier general in the Maryland National Guard ), was elected president of the GWMNMA. At this point, the GWMNMA only planned to construct a Masonic temple, not a giant memorial. One floor was to be set aside for use by Masonic lodges, and one or more fire resistive, secure rooms in the temple were to be used for the display of Washingtoniana and historical documents owned by

4080-639: A function. But these plans were not carried out. After the death of Louis Watres in June 1937, Elmer R. Arn, Past Grand Master of Ohio, was elected president of the association as his successor. Four large lighting sconces were added to the second floor memorial hall in 1938, with the $ 4,000 cost of their installation paid for by the General Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star . In 1939,

4335-645: A given country, state or geographical area (termed a jurisdiction ). There is no single overarching governing body that presides over worldwide Freemasonry; connections between different jurisdictions depend solely on mutual recognition. Estimates of the worldwide membership of Freemasonry in the early 21st century ranged from about two million to more than six million. The fraternity is administratively organised into independent Grand Lodges (or sometimes Grand Orients), each of which governs its own Masonic jurisdiction, which consists of subordinate (or constituent ) Lodges. The United Grand Lodge of England remains

4590-493: A large building could not be built next to the memorial. Additionally, the United States Department of Commerce provided, free of charge, equipment for lighting the building and tower as an aid to aviation. The association paid to have the equipment installed. In February 1942, Representative Sol Bloom donated an oil painting of Washington in full Masonic regalia to the memorial that year as well. Bloom

4845-508: A lecture, which is usually on some aspect of Masonic history or ritual. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Lodge may hold a formal dinner , or festive board , sometimes involving toasting and song. The bulk of Masonic ritual consists of degree ceremonies. Candidates for Freemasonry are progressively initiated into Freemasonry, first in the degree of Entered Apprentice . At some later time, in separate ceremonies, they will be passed to

5100-541: A life-size bronze statue of Washington in full Masonic regalia from the famous sculptor, Hiram Powers who was living in Rome , Italy . The statue reached Alexandria in early 1861, just before the outbreak of the American Civil War . It remained on display in Alexandria until the summer of 1863, when it was moved to Richmond, Virginia . The statue was destroyed in the fire which occurred as Richmond surrendered to

5355-467: A lock of Washington's hair. A special Masonic ritual was written for the dedication. The ceremony incorporated a 4-foot (1.2 m) high model of the memorial (manufactured by inmates at the Lorton Reformatory ), and the pouring of wine, oil and corn (Masonic symbols) from gold and silver pitchers onto the model. The pitchers were made by metalsmith Olaf Saugstadt. The invocation was given by

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5610-400: A memo following the 1976 election, that his most important role would be as a "general adviser" to the president. Al Gore was an important adviser to President Bill Clinton on matters of foreign policy and the environment . Dick Cheney was widely regarded as one of President George W. Bush's closest confidants. Joe Biden asked President Barack Obama to let him always be the "last person in

5865-537: A memorial temple (costing no less than $ 100,000) to George Washington at the top of the hill within 10 years or they would be forced to turn over the land to the city of Alexandria. With land secured, the Masons began making plans to build a memorial. In 1917, the Alexandria-Washington Lodge reported that the intent remained to construct a $ 500,000 building to house the Washingtoniana (valued at $ 2 million) which

6120-532: A memorial temple. President Taft, Representative Champ Clark , Secretary of War Jacob M. Dickinson , and Virginia Governor William Hodges Mann all spoke at the February 22 meeting. The George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association (GWMNMA) was formed at this meeting, and plans were adopted to raise $ 500,000 to go toward the cost of construction and another $ 500,000 for an endowment and maintenance fund. Thomas J. Shryock , Grand Master of Maryland (and

6375-520: A memorial to George Washington should be built. Callahan proposed the construction of a $ 10,000 memorial temple. In early 1908, the Alexandria-Washington Lodge formed a "local memorial temple committee" to research the costs and obstacles involved in building a memorial temple. The committee passed a resolution asking Joseph Eggleston, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, to approve

6630-408: A museum, and for the museum to not only honor Washington but also other famous Masons from Virginia. The memorial was still intended to house Washingtoniana and contain a replica of the original Alexandria-Washington Lodge's meeting room. A major revision to the memorial plans was made in February 1923. The GWMNMA approved constructing the building entirely of granite (rather than marble and concrete),

6885-453: A nonprofit organization whose mission was to build a memorial to George Washington in the city of Alexandria. Little was accomplished in the organization's first few years of life, but in February 1908 the WMAA purchased an option to buy a 50-acre (20 ha) tract of land on and around Shooter's Hill and the nearby Alexandria Golf Course. Most of the land immediately on either side of King Street

7140-414: A particular constituency. The vice presidential candidate might also be chosen on the basis of traits the presidential candidate is perceived to lack, or on the basis of name recognition. To foster party unity, popular runners-up in the presidential nomination process are commonly considered. While this selection process may enhance the chances of success for a national ticket, in the past it often resulted in

7395-495: A point to enter into an agreement with Vice President Richard Nixon that provided for Nixon to act on his behalf if Eisenhower became unable to provide effective presidential leadership (Nixon did informally assume some of the president's duties for several weeks on each of three occasions when Eisenhower was ill), discussions began in Congress about clearing up the Constitution's ambiguity on the subject. The present-day power of

7650-547: A precedent for "shared jurisdiction" between mainstream and Prince Hall Grand Lodges, effectively modifying the traditional interpretation of Exclusive Jurisdiction. By 2024, most U.S. Grand Lodges have recognized their Prince Hall counterparts, establishing a new norm where two Grand Lodges can legitimately operate within the same geographical area, provided they maintain mutual recognition and amity. The evolution of this practice demonstrates how traditional Masonic principles can adapt to accommodate social progress while maintaining

7905-505: A result, the vice presidency originally had authority in only a few areas, although constitutional amendments have added or clarified some matters. Article I, Section 3, Clause 4 confers upon the vice president the title "President of the Senate", authorizing the vice president to preside over Senate meetings . In this capacity, the vice president is responsible for maintaining order and decorum, recognizing members to speak, and interpreting

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8160-459: A second-tier politician, chosen either to appease the party's minority faction, satisfy party bosses, or to secure a key state. Factors playing a role in the selection included: geographic and ideological balance, widening a presidential candidate's appeal to voters from outside their regional base or wing of the party. Candidates from electoral-vote rich swing states were usually preferred. A 2016 study, which examined vice-presidential candidates over

8415-496: A single bond had been sold or loan sought to fund the building's construction. A number of special events marked the dedication ceremony. More than 100 special trains carried an estimated 150,000 spectators into Alexandria. Many attendees slept in railway sleeping cars (which remained parked in the city's rail yards) because hotel accommodations were lacking. The U.S. Navy sailed the historic wooden- hulled , three- masted heavy frigate USS  Constitution to Alexandria for

8670-404: A solid foundation for the structure was critical. An initial test borehole into Shooter's Hill (which reached a depth of 200 feet (61 m)) found no bedrock, leading to concerns that the site might not be a suitable location for the building. Daniel E. Moran, the foundation engineer, further investigated the earth beneath the building. Moran drilled 125 feet (38 m) below the lowest point of

8925-537: A violation of the Constitution, he adhered to his position. His view ultimately prevailed as both the Senate and House voted to acknowledge him as president. The "Tyler Precedent" that a vice president assumes the full title and role of president upon the death, resignation, or removal from office (via impeachment conviction) of their predecessor was codified through the Twenty-fifth Amendment in 1967. Altogether, nine vice presidents have succeeded to

9180-514: Is 18, but university lodges are given dispensations to initiate undergraduates below that age.) Additionally, most Grand Lodges require a candidate to declare a belief in a Supreme Being (although every candidate must interpret this condition in his own way, as all religious discussion is commonly prohibited). In a few cases, the candidate may be required to be of a specific religion. The form of Freemasonry most common in Scandinavia (known as

9435-404: Is 19 feet (5.8 m) high, made of aluminum, and has its own independent power supply. Claude Haynes, a steelworker employed on the memorial since 1923 and a member of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22, completed the light by installing the aluminum sheeting on it on February 8. Construction of decorative items, flooring, landscape drainage, marble walls, and plumbing continued throughout 1931 and

9690-476: Is Regular and what is Irregular (and the definitions do not necessarily agree between Grand Lodges). Essentially, every Grand Lodge will hold that its landmarks (its requirements, tenets and rituals) are Regular, and judge other Grand Lodges based on those. If the differences are significant, one Grand Lodge may declare the other "Irregular" and withdraw or withhold recognition. The most commonly shared rules for Recognition (based on Regularity) are those given by

9945-401: Is a historically African-American branch of Freemasonry that maintains its own separate Grand Lodge system parallel to the state Grand Lodge system. Together, these two systems - the conservative Grand Lodges and Prince Hall Grand Lodges make up for a total of 97 UGLE recognized Grand Lodges, sharing jurisdictions in the United States. They represent the main bodies of Masonic governance in

10200-690: Is a system of 33 degrees, including the three Blue Lodge degrees administered by a local or national Supreme Council. This system is popular in North America, South America and in Continental Europe . In America, the York Rite , with a similar range, administers three orders of Masonry, namely the Royal Arch , Cryptic Masonry , and Knights Templar . In Britain, separate bodies administer each order. Freemasons are encouraged to join

10455-427: Is both head of state and head of government , and the ceremonial duties of the former position are often delegated to the vice president. The vice president will on occasion represent the president and the U.S. government at state funerals abroad, or at various events in the United States. This often is the most visible role of the vice president. The vice president may also meet with other heads of state at times when

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10710-566: Is entitled to a number of electors equal to the size of its total delegation in both houses of Congress. Additionally, the Twenty-third Amendment provides that the District of Columbia is entitled to the number it would have if it were a state, but in no case more than that of the least populous state. Currently, all states and D.C. select their electors based on a popular election held on Election Day . In all but two states,

10965-536: Is in amity with the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Connecticut, the principle of Exclusive Jurisdiction does not apply, and other Grand Lodges may recognise both. Likewise, the five distinct kinds of lodges in Germany have nominally united under one Grand Lodge in order to obtain international recognition. The concept of Exclusive Jurisdiction has been significantly challenged in the United States with

11220-456: Is not allowed. There are many reasons one Grand Lodge will withhold or withdraw recognition from another, but the two most common are Exclusive Jurisdiction and Regularity . Exclusive Jurisdiction is a concept whereby normally only one Grand Lodge will be recognised in any geographical area. If two Grand Lodges claim jurisdiction over the same area, the other Grand Lodges will have to choose between them, and they may not all decide to recognise

11475-456: Is not from their own state. Prior to the 2000 election , both George W. Bush and Dick Cheney lived in and voted in Texas. To avoid creating a potential problem for Texas's electors, Cheney changed his residency back to Wyoming prior to the campaign. Often, the presidential nominee will name a vice presidential candidate who will bring geographic or ideological balance to the ticket or appeal to

11730-458: Is offering vice presidency to the person who's in first place." Obama said the nomination process would have to be a choice between himself and Clinton, saying "I don't want anybody here thinking that 'Somehow, maybe I can get both ' ", by nominating Clinton and assuming he would be her running mate. Some suggested that it was a ploy by the Clinton campaign to denigrate Obama as less qualified for

11985-434: Is progressively taught the meanings of the symbols of Freemasonry and entrusted with grips, signs, and words to signify to other members that he has been so initiated. The degrees are part allegorical morality play and part lecture. These three degrees form Craft (or Blue Lodge) Freemasonry, and members of any of these degrees are known as Free-Masons , Freemasons or Masons . Once the Craft degrees have been conferred upon

12240-481: Is that each candidate must be "free and of good reputation". The question of freedom, a standard feudal requirement of mediaeval guilds, is nowadays one of independence: the object is that every Mason should be a proper and responsible person. Thus, each Grand Lodge has a standard minimum age, varying greatly and often subject to dispensation in particular cases. (For example, in England the standard minimum age to join

12495-548: Is the Lodge . These private Lodges are usually supervised at the regional level (usually coterminous with a state, province, or national border) by a Grand Lodge or Grand Orient. There is no international, worldwide Grand Lodge that supervises all of Freemasonry; each Grand Lodge is independent, and they do not necessarily recognise each other as being legitimate. Lodges are found around the world and on all populated continents; however due to anti-Masonry and laws that effectively ban

12750-457: Is the annual installation of the Master of the Lodge and his appointed or elected officers. In some jurisdictions, an Installed Master elected, obligated, and invested to preside over a Lodge, is valued as a separate rank with its own secrets and distinctive title and attributes; after each full year in the chair the Master invests his elected successor and becomes a Past Master with privileges in

13005-424: Is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. The Lodge meets regularly and conducts the usual formal business of any small organisation (approve minutes , elect new members, appoint officers and take their reports, consider correspondence, bills and annual accounts, organise social and charitable events, etc.). In addition to such business, the meeting may perform a ceremony to confer a Masonic degree or receive

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13260-432: Is upon candidates to ask to join; while they may be encouraged to ask, they may not be invited. Once the initial inquiry is made, a formal application may be proposed and seconded or announced in open Lodge and a more or less formal interview usually follows. If the candidate wishes to proceed, references are taken up during a period of notice so that members may enquire into the candidate's suitability and discuss it. Finally,

13515-630: The Army of the Potomac on April 3, 1865. Plans for a Masonic memorial moved forward again in 1909 after work on a competing memorial began. The proposed site for the new memorial was Shooter's Hill, which at one time had been seriously considered by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson as the site of the United States Capitol building. On May 8, 1900, citizens of Alexandria formed the "Washington Monument Association of Alexandria" (WMAA),

13770-531: The Bible , the Quran , or other religious scripture be open in a working lodge, that every member professes belief in a Supreme Being , that no women be admitted, and that the discussion of religion and politics do not take place within the lodge; and Continental Freemasonry , which consists of the jurisdictions that have removed some, or all, of these restrictions. The basic, local organisational unit of Freemasonry

14025-629: The Electoral College votes, and then, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, opens the sealed votes. The votes are counted during a joint session of Congress as prescribed by the Electoral Count Act and the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act . The former specifies that the president of the Senate presides over the joint session, and the latter clarifies

14280-631: The Holy Royal Arch , which is linked to Mark Masonry in Scotland and Ireland, but completely separate in England. In England, the Royal Arch is closely associated with the Craft, automatically having many Grand Officers in common, including H.R.H the Duke of Kent as both Grand Master of the Craft and First Grand Principal of the Royal Arch. The English Knights Templar and Cryptic Masonry share

14535-547: The Landmarks of Freemasonry , which elude any universally accepted definition. Candidates for Freemasonry will usually have met the most active members of the Lodge they are joining before being elected for initiation. The process varies among Grand Lodges, but in modern times interested people often look up a local Lodge through the Internet and will typically be introduced to a Lodge social function or open evening. The onus

14790-497: The Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) No. 1 in Scotland show a continuity from an operative lodge in 1598 to a modern speculative Lodge. It is reputed to be the oldest Masonic Lodge in the world. Alternatively, Thomas De Quincey in his work titled Rosicrucians and Freemasonry put forward the theory that suggested that Freemasonry may have been an outgrowth of Rosicrucianism . The theory had also been postulated in 1803 by German professor; J. G. Buhle . The first Grand Lodge,

15045-595: The Nordic countries , the Swedish Rite is dominant; a variation of it is also used in parts of Germany. Freemasonry describes itself as a "beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols". The symbolism is mainly, but not exclusively, drawn from the tools of stonemasons – the square and compasses , the level and plumb rule, the trowel , the rough and smooth ashlars , among others. Moral lessons are attributed to each of these tools, although

15300-479: The Swedish Rite ), for example, accepts only Christians. At the other end of the spectrum, "Liberal" or Continental Freemasonry , exemplified by the Grand Orient de France , does not require a declaration of belief in any deity and accepts atheists (the cause of the distinction from the rest of Freemasonry). During the ceremony of initiation, the candidate is required to undertake an obligation, swearing on

15555-545: The US–Mexico border . The vice president is often an important liaison between the administration and Congress, especially in situations where the president has not previously served in Congress or served only briefly. Vice presidents are often selected as running mates in part due to their legislative relationships, notably including Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, Walter Mondale, Dick Cheney, Joe Biden, and Mike Pence among others. In recent years, Dick Cheney held weekly meetings in

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15810-608: The United Grand Lodge of England . The Grand Lodge of Ireland and the Grand Lodge of Scotland were formed in 1725 and 1736, respectively, although neither persuaded all of the existing lodges in their countries to join for many years. The earliest known American lodges were in Pennsylvania . The collector for the port of Pennsylvania, John Moore, wrote of attending lodges there in 1715, two years before

16065-760: The United States , Masonic membership is organized in two systems, first through 51 Conservative Grand Lodges - one for each state plus the District of Columbia . While these Grand Lodges once boasted over 4 million members in 1957, membership has declined sharply. According to the Masonic Service Association of North America, current combined membership across these jurisdictions stands at approximately 875,000 members. Additionally, there are 46 Prince Hall Grand Lodges in amity with UGLE, operating across various U.S. states. Prince Hall Masonry

16320-484: The election of 1800 , Jefferson and fellow Democratic-Republican Aaron Burr each received 73 electoral votes. In the contingent election that followed, Jefferson finally won the presidency on the 36th ballot, leaving Burr the vice presidency. Afterward, the system was overhauled through the Twelfth Amendment in time to be used in the 1804 election . For much of its existence, the office of vice president

16575-535: The legislative branch , as the president of the Senate . In this capacity, the vice president is empowered to preside over the United States Senate , but may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote . The vice president is indirectly elected at the same time as the president to a four-year term of office by the people of the United States through the Electoral College , but the electoral votes are cast separately for these two offices. Following

16830-537: The portico were raised into position in October 1926, nearly completing this portion of the structure. Also nearing completion was a massive bas-relief sculpture of Washington's head in profile, designed by sculptor Gail Sherman Corbett (wife of architect Harvey W. Corbett). G. Fred Coles, who helped execute the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial, did the carving of the sculpture on-site in

17085-529: The second world war from 33,000 in 1960 to 53,000 in 2023. Relations between Grand Lodges are determined by the concept of Recognition . Each Grand Lodge maintains a list of other Grand Lodges that it recognises. When two Grand Lodges recognise and are in Masonic communication with each other, they are said to be in amity , and the brethren of each may visit each other's Lodges and interact Masonically. When two Grand Lodges are not in amity, inter-visitation

17340-404: The "craft" by being progressively "initiated", "passed" and "raised" into the three degrees of Craft, or Blue Lodge Masonry. During these three rituals, the candidate is progressively taught the Masonic symbols, and entrusted with grips or tokens, signs, and words to signify to other Masons which degrees he has taken. The dramatic allegorical ceremonies include explanatory lectures and revolve around

17595-533: The 1930s, with the Office of the Vice President being created in the executive branch in 1939, and has since grown much further. Due to its increase in power and prestige, the vice presidency is now often considered to be a stepping stone to the presidency. Since the 1970s, the vice president has been afforded an official residence at Number One Observatory Circle . The Constitution does not expressly assign

17850-431: The 19th century and first half of the 20th century, several presidents experienced periods of severe illness, physical disability or injury, some lasting for weeks or months. During these times, even though the nation needed effective presidential leadership, no vice president wanted to seem like a usurper, and so power was never transferred. After President Dwight D. Eisenhower openly addressed his health issues and made it

18105-440: The 20th century. By adopting primary voting, the field of candidates for vice president was expanded by both the increased quantity and quality of presidential candidates successful in some primaries, yet who ultimately failed to capture the presidential nomination at the convention. At the start of the 21st century, Dick Cheney (2001–2009) held a tremendous amount of power and frequently made policy decisions on his own, without

18360-522: The 25th Amendment, were inaugurated in the House and Senate chambers respectively. At the 1940 Democratic National Convention , Roosevelt selected his own running mate, Henry Wallace , instead of leaving the nomination to the convention, when he wanted Garner replaced. He then gave Wallace major responsibilities during World War II . However, after numerous policy disputes between Wallace and other Roosevelt Administration and Democratic Party officials, he

18615-518: The Alexandria-Washington Lodge. The painting had been used to advertise the Washington Bicentennial and Bloom donated it to the memorial in memory of his wife (who had died in 1941). The Blue Lodge room and Alexandria-Washington Lodge replica room were finished in late 1942. During the following year, one of the granite columns in the memorial cracked and was repaired. Work on the interior did not really begin in earnest until after

18870-434: The Alexandria-Washington Lodge. By February 1911, the GWMNMA had ruled out all locations except Alexandria as the site for its memorial temple, and fund-raising activities were being planned. A more formal association structure was also adopted at this time. But except for fund-raising activities, little was done in the association's first five years of activity. Nearly everyone involved in the project in its early years agreed

19125-561: The Alexandria-Washington lodge. The lodge had suffered several fires over the previous century, and a number of these historic items were destroyed. Constructing a fire resistive building which would more safely house these important items was a major factor in pushing the Masonic memorial forward. In late 1907 or early 1908, Alexandria Commissioner of Revenue Charles H. Callahan (the deputy master of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22) proposed to his fellow Masons that, at last,

19380-488: The Automatic Heating Corporation of Washington, D.C. The George Washington Masonic National Memorial was dedicated on May 12, 1932. Planners had hoped for a dedication date of February 22, 1932—the 200th anniversary of Washington's birth. But the structure was not ready in time, as many of the interior details had not yet been agreed on or installed, electrical and plumbing work had not yet reached

19635-419: The Constitution does not specifically require it. However, whenever the president of the United States is on trial, the Constitution requires that the chief justice of the United States must preside. This stipulation was designed to avoid the possible conflict of interest in having the vice president preside over the trial for the removal of the one official standing between them and the presidency. In contrast,

19890-651: The Constitution expected that the vice -president would be elected by the Electoral College as the second wisest man in the country. The vice-presidentship being a sinecure, a second-rate man agreeable to the wire-pullers is always smuggled in. The chance of succession to the presidentship is too distant to be thought of." When the Whig Party asked Daniel Webster to run for the vice presidency on Zachary Taylor 's ticket, he replied "I do not propose to be buried until I am really dead and in my coffin." This

20145-414: The Constitution is silent about which federal official would preside were the vice president on trial by the Senate. No vice president has ever been impeached, thus leaving it unclear whether an impeached vice president could, as president of the Senate, preside at their own impeachment trial. The Twelfth Amendment provides that the vice president, in their capacity as the president of the Senate, receives

20400-466: The Ehret-Warren Co. In August 1927, it was believed the building would be finished in another three to five years. At its February 1928 annual meeting, the GWMNMA agreed to spend another $ 500,000 in the coming year on construction costs. The association also agreed to increase the endowment fund to $ 1.5 million, for a total cost of building, grounds, and endowment of $ 5 million. At this time, it

20655-546: The Executive branch. In addition, the vice presidential nominee has always been an official resident of a different state than the presidential nominee. While nothing in the Constitution prohibits a presidential candidate and his or her running mate being from the same state, the "inhabitant clause" of the Twelfth Amendment does mandate that every presidential elector must cast a ballot for at least one candidate who

20910-565: The GWMNMA on March 16, 1922. Corbett planned a three-story memorial temple topped by a three-story tower. The first three floors (which constituted the temple and the base of the tower) would be built in the Neoclassical style, while the tower would be a variation on the setbacks popular in Modern architecture . The structure was to be built entirely of masonry , with almost no metal used in its construction (except for reinforcing rods in

21165-552: The GWMNMA resodded the terrace and spent $ 6,000 on a new gateway and entrance to the memorial at the foot of Shooter's Hill. The 1924 construction year ended in December with the installation of eight green marble columns (each weighing 11 to 18 short tons (10.0 to 16.3 t)) in the first floor atrium. Each column was 18 feet (5.5 m) high and 4.5 feet (1.4 m) in diameter, and arrived at Alexandria's Union Station by train from Redstone, New Hampshire . One columnar section

21420-528: The GWMNMA. Beneath the cornerstone was another container, which held several dimes , copies of the Constitution , copies of the Declaration of Independence , books, and other items. Construction proceeded slowly after the cornerstone was laid. This was because construction stopped every winter to ensure that the memorial remained free of moisture, frost damage, and the effects of cooling (to improve

21675-651: The George Washington Memorial Park, while another 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) were set aside for a small memorial within the park. The new subdivision, named Fort Ellsworth (after an American Civil War fort which used to occupy Shooter's Hill), was platted in November 1908, and public streets laid out. The park was ready for dedication on April 30, 1909—the 120th anniversary of the inauguration of Washington as president. Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 (George Washington's Masonic lodge, as well as

21930-413: The Grand Lodge of London and Westminster, later called the Grand Lodge of England , was founded on St John's Day , 24 June 1717, when four existing London Lodges met for a joint dinner. Over the next decade, most of the existing Lodges in England joined the new regulatory body, which itself entered a period of self-publicity and expansion. New lodges were created, and the fraternity began to grow. During

22185-405: The Grand Lodge of Montana, donated more than 6,000 books and manuscripts about Masonic history and Masonry to the memorial as a means of founding a national Masonic library. With these books in danger of deterioration, a library had to be constructed immediately and at least one elevator installed in order to reach the library room in the tower. Additional landscaping had to be done in order to reduce

22440-457: The House dais . Most recently, Vice President Mike Pence , on January 6, 2021, announced the election of his successor , Kamala Harris . Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 stipulates that the vice president takes over the "powers and duties" of the presidency in the event of a president's removal, death, resignation, or inability. Even so, it did not clearly state whether the vice president became president or simply acted as president in

22695-583: The Lodge and Grand Lodge. In other jurisdictions, the grade is not recognised, and no inner ceremony conveys new secrets during the installation of a new Master of the Lodge. Most Lodges have some sort of social functions, allowing members, their partners, and non-Masonic guests to meet openly. Often coupled with these events is the discharge of every Mason's and Lodge's collective obligation to contribute to charity. This occurs at many levels, including in annual dues, subscriptions, fundraising events, Lodges and Grand Lodges. Masons and their charities contribute for

22950-427: The Lodge takes an officially secret ballot on each application before a candidate is either initiated or rejected. The exact number of adverse ballots ("blackballs") required to reject a candidate varies between Masonic jurisdictions. As an example, the United Grand Lodge of England only requires a single "blackball", while the Grand Lodge of New York requires three. A minimum requirement of every body of Freemasons

23205-791: The Mark Grand Lodge offices and staff at Mark Masons Hall. The Ancient and Accepted Rite (similar to the Scottish Rite), requires a member to proclaim the Trinitarian Christian faith, and is administered from Duke Street in London. Conversely, the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia is a fully independent esoteric organization that requires members be United Grand Lodge of England Master Masons . In

23460-667: The OEOB has since been designated the "Ceremonial Office of the Vice President" and is today used for formal events and press interviews. President Jimmy Carter was the first president to give his vice president, Walter Mondale , an office in the West Wing of the White House, which all vice presidents have since retained. Because of their function as president of the Senate, vice presidents still maintain offices and staff members on Capitol Hill. This change came about because Carter held

23715-552: The Premiere Grand Lodge had adopted. As an insult, the self proclaimed "Antient Grand Lodge" coined the term "modern" to designate the Premiere Grand Lodge (historians now use Premiere Grand Lodge and Antient Grand Lodge – to differentiate the two bodies). These two Grand Lodges vied for supremacy until the Premiere Grand Lodge made a compromise with the antient Grand Lodge to return to a ritual that worked for both Grand Lodges. They re-united on 27 December 1813 to form

23970-543: The Rt. Rev. W. Bertrand Stevens, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles . The benediction was given by William J. Morton, Rector of Christ Church, Alexandria (the church where Washington worshipped). Construction on some of the exterior and nearly all of the interior of the memorial continued after its May 1932 dedication. Sheet metal for interior window sashes, doorjambs and other moldings, fixtures and fittings

24225-493: The Senate's rules, practices, and precedent. With this position also comes the authority to cast a tie-breaking vote . In practice, the number of times vice presidents have exercised this right has varied greatly. Incumbent vice president Kamala Harris holds the record at 33 votes, followed by John C. Calhoun who had previously held the record at 31 votes; John Adams ranks third with 29. Nine vice presidents, most recently Joe Biden , did not cast any tie-breaking votes. As

24480-601: The Shriners would furnish two more rooms on ground floor at a total cost of $ 168,000. In 1946, the association received a major donation of about $ 154,700 which went to its maintenance fund (which now had to be at least $ 3 million to generate enough funds to keep the structure maintained). At the GWMNMA's annual meeting in February 1947, the Alexandria-Washington Lodge Replica Room was dedicated. The association also voted to allot one of

24735-469: The U.S. attended and many representatives from overseas Masonic lodges were also present. President Hoover and nearly his entire Cabinet attended the dedication. When the President and his party arrived at the memorial site, the Constitution , the three Coast Guard ships and a battery of the 16th Field Artillery fired a 21-gun salute . Due to the heavy rain, the ceremony was moved from the portico of

24990-652: The United Grand Lodge of England in 1929: Blue Lodges, known as Craft Lodges in the United Kingdom, offer only the three traditional degrees. In most jurisdictions, the rank of past or installed master is also conferred in Blue/Craft Lodges. Master Masons are able to extend their Masonic experience by taking further degrees, in appendant or other bodies whether or not approved by their own Grand Lodge. The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite

25245-460: The United States, though both have experienced significant membership declines since their mid-20th century peaks. Grand Orient de France , the largest jurisdiction in Continental or Liberal Freemasonry in terms of membership, is over 53,000 members spread across approximately 1,381 lodges for an average of 38 members per Lodges. The Grand Orient de France has been growing in membership since

25500-460: The Vice President's Room at the United States Capitol , Joe Biden played a key role in bipartisan budget negotiations, and Mike Pence often met with House and Senate Republicans. Kamala Harris, the current vice president, presided over a 50–50 split Senate during the 117th Congress , which provided her with a key role in passing legislation. Under the American system of government the president

25755-404: The WMAA except for a 2-acre (0.81 ha) area (lots 29 through 38, inclusive, of block 5) on the north slope of the hill. In October or December 1915 (sources disagree on the date), the Alexandria-Washington Lodge purchased the north slope of Shooter's Hill (an area about 400 by 200 feet (122 by 61 m)) for $ 1,000. Under the terms of the conveyance of the deed, the Masons were required to build

26010-424: The WMAA to turn over the remainder of George Washington Memorial Park to the city. The lodge suggested that 28 acres (11 ha) of the eastern slope of George Washington Memorial Park be retained as a public park, while the rest of the tract could be used for any purposes the city wanted. This plan was not acted on. By December 1915, the city had purchased all of Shooter's Hill and George Washington Memorial Park from

26265-448: The above qualifications is still disqualified from holding the office of vice president under the following conditions: The vice presidential candidates of the major national political parties are formally selected by each party's quadrennial nominating convention, following the selection of the party's presidential candidate. The official process is identical to the one by which the presidential candidates are chosen, with delegates placing

26520-630: The administration wishes to demonstrate concern or support but cannot send the president personally. Since 1949, the vice president has legally been a member of the National Security Council . Harry Truman , having not been told about any war or post-war plans during his vice presidency (notably the Manhattan Project ), recognized that upon assuming the presidency a vice president needed to be already informed on such issues. Modern vice presidents have also been included in

26775-414: The assignment is by no means consistent. The meaning of the symbolism is taught and explored through ritual, and in lectures and articles by individual Masons who offer their personal insights and opinions. According to the scholar of Western esotericism Jan A. M. Snoek: "the best way to characterize Freemasonry is in terms of what it is not, rather than what it is". All Freemasons begin their journey in

27030-400: The association planned a building which would cost $ 1.5 million, with another $ 400,000 set aside for landscaping the grounds and $ 500,000 as an endowment for perpetually maintaining the memorial. The directors of the GWMNMA also approved a new charter for the organization, inspected the building site, and approved blueprints for the building. The state of Virginia approved the revised charter for

27285-401: The association's approval for a campaign to raise money for a bronze statue of George Washington back in 1934. Baker proposed a marble statue that would cost $ 50,000 to $ 60,000 and stand on a pedestal worth $ 7,000 to $ 10,000. The association also began work on its first elevator. The Otis Elevator Company was awarded this contract on October 23, 1947. Designed to fit into the southeast stairwell,

27540-505: The atrium. The second story, now 45 by 60 feet (14 by 18 m) in size with a high ceiling and extensive windows (to let in large amounts of natural light), was still slated to house the Washington museum. The purpose of the third floor was not yet agreed upon. The tower above the third floor now contained an observation deck forming a seventh and ultimate floor at the top of the tower. The new plans specified that terraces would lead from

27795-678: The auditorium and portico, installing marble over the rough cement in the interior stairwells and replacing the large wooden doors at the memorial's entrance with bronze doors. That same year, President Harry S. Truman presented the memorial with a replica of the Great Seal of the United States which was 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter and lit from within. The sign had originally topped of the United States Government Printing Office headquarters, but had been damaged by lightning. Removed and listed as scrap,

28050-523: The balloting. Eagleton nevertheless received a majority of the votes and the nomination, though he later resigned from the ticket, resulting in Sargent Shriver from Maryland becoming McGovern's final running mate; both lost to the Nixon–Agnew ticket by a wide margin, carrying only Massachusetts and the District of Columbia . During times in a presidential election cycle before the identity of

28305-435: The building (as the first floor main hall was now called) was now slated to contain space along the walls which could be used by Grand Lodges to memorialize their prominent members, while the rooms around the atrium would be dedicated to the various Masonic " appendant bodies " (jurisdictional bodies, social groups, youth and women's organizations, etc.). The plan called for the second floor to be used as an art gallery as well as

28560-424: The building and its main entrance) was constructed with Conway Pink Granite for a base. The base was 13.875 feet (4.229 m) high and 3.33 feet (1.01 m) thick. The upper portion of this wall was concrete. More than 2,200 cubic yards (1,700 m) of concrete and 60 short tons (54 t) of steel reinforcing bars were used in this part of the wall. The GWMNMA believed that the second floor would be finished by

28815-495: The building by four of the pink Conway granite columns. At the four corners of the roof were concrete piers , each 9 square feet (0.84 m) in size. Spandrel beams between the columns—6.3 feet (1.9 m) wide at the bottom, 9 feet (2.7 m) wide at the top, and 24 feet (7.3 m) deep—also supported the roof. The roof was waterproofed, sealed, and covered with copper sheeting by the New York Roofing Co. and

29070-594: The building was dedicated in 1932, and the interior finally completed in 1970. In July 2015, it was designated a National Historic Landmark for its architecture, and as one of the largest-scale private memorials to honor Washington. The memorial is served by the King Street–Old Town Metro station on the Blue and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro . The station is located about four blocks from

29325-512: The building. The huge granite steps leading up to the main entrance were not in place (and would not be until 1940). Among the rooms being prepared at the last minute was the 1,000-seat circular auditorium at the rear of the second floor. Workers laid a cement floor for the auditorium (although this would later be replaced with marble). The marble wall material in the auditorium came from the Hilgartner Marble Co. of Baltimore , while

29580-470: The ceremonial station that day.) The United States House of Representatives adjourned because most House members were attending the dedication event. Most members of the United States Senate also went to the dedication, as did a number of foreign ambassadors. A continuous heavy rain dampened the May 12 festivities. Only about 20,000 people (rather than the anticipated 150,000) lined Alexandria's streets to view

29835-404: The columns from twisting or slipping, a mortise and tenon was used. A mortise approximately 3 feet (0.91 m) deep was created in the floor and a tenon carved on the bottom of the column base. A small amount of mortar mixed with small flat discs of metal was used to help fix the tenon into the mortise. Between the base and the first drum (or section of the column), between the drums and between

30090-425: The combined total of its Senate and House of Representatives membership. Each elector was allowed to vote for two people for president (rather than for both president and vice president), but could not differentiate between their first and second choice for the presidency. The person receiving the greatest number of votes (provided it was an absolute majority of the whole number of electors) would be president, while

30345-476: The common fate." Thomas R. Marshall , who served as vice president from 1913 to 1921 under President Woodrow Wilson , lamented: "Once there were two brothers. One ran away to sea; the other was elected Vice President of the United States. And nothing was heard of either of them again." His successor, Calvin Coolidge , was so obscure that Major League Baseball sent him free passes that misspelled his name, and

30600-425: The company overcame the 7.5 degree incline of the stairwell by putting wheels on one side of the elevator car to keep it vertical. The memorial's dining room was completed at the end of 1947, and its first use was for a meeting of the GWMNMA in February 1948. The Grotto dedicated its finished room (designed to house its archives) on the third floor of the building in February 1948. The association, meanwhile, outfitted

30855-437: The concrete). The rationale for this decision was that a building constructed purely of stone would be the most permanent structure possible. The firm of Osgood & Osgood of Grand Rapids, Michigan , was the consulting engineer. Daniel E. Moran (of the firm Moran, Maurice & Proctor of New York) designed the building's foundation; Gunvald Aus was the structural engineer; the firm of Clarke, McMullen & Riley (of New York)

31110-510: The construction of the Temple of Solomon , and the artistry and death of the chief architect, Hiram Abiff . The degrees are those of "Entered apprentice", "Fellowcraft" and "Master Mason". While many different versions of these rituals exist, with various lodge layouts and versions of the Hiramic legend, each version is recognizable to any Freemason from any jurisdiction. In some jurisdictions,

31365-483: The cornerstone using the same trowel Washington used on September 18, 1793, to lay the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol building (the trowel was owned by the Alexandria-Washington Lodge). Loudspeakers were used to broadcast the speeches of President Coolidge and the other speakers to the crowd, and a temporary radio station (operated by radio station WCAP ) was set up on Shooter's Hill to broadcast

31620-490: The country." Vice President Charles Curtis regularly attended Cabinet meetings on the invitation of President Herbert Hoover . In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt raised the stature of the office by renewing the practice of inviting the vice president to cabinet meetings, which every president since has maintained. Roosevelt's first vice president, John Nance Garner , broke with him over the " court-packing " issue early in his second term, and became Roosevelt's leading critic. At

31875-593: The course of the 18th century, as aristocrats and artists crowded out the craftsmen originally associated with the organization, Freemasonry became fashionable throughout Europe and the American colonies . Between 1730 and 1750, the Grand Lodge endorsed several significant changes that some Lodges could not endorse. A rival Grand Lodge was formed on 17 July 1751, which called itself the " Antient Grand Lodge of England " to signify that, in their opinion, these lodges were maintaining older traditions and rejected changes that

32130-422: The creation of a memorial temple and to assist in creating a national memorial association in which all Masons and Masonic organizations could participate. On May 7, 1909, the Grand Lodge of Virginia called upon all grand lodges in the United States to meet in Alexandria on February 22, 1910, to discuss plans for organizing a George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association whose purpose would be to construct

32385-526: The date of the congressional joint session, Humphrey was in Norway attending the funeral of Trygve Lie , the first elected Secretary-General of the United Nations . The president pro tempore, Richard Russell , presided in his absence. On February 8, 1933, Vice President Charles Curtis announced the election of his successor, House Speaker John Nance Garner , while Garner was seated next to him on

32640-429: The dedication ceremony. (Shooter's Hill was incorporated into the city of Alexandria on April 1, 1914.) There were several reasons why Masonic bodies finally began to build a memorial. The construction of George Washington Memorial Park sparked renewed Masonic interest in building their own memorial. But another reason was the safety of items owned or used by George Washington ("Washingtoniana") and which were now owned by

32895-487: The dedication. Three United States Coast Guard cutters and a U.S. Navy submarine also anchored in the Potomac River for the ceremony. The United States Post Office Department established a special temporary ceremonial post office at the site of the memorial to postmark letters and postcards with the memorial's name and location and the date of the dedication ceremony. (More than 200,000 letters were postmarked at

33150-487: The degree of Fellowcraft ; and then raised to the degree of Master Mason . In each of these ceremonies, the candidate must first take the new obligations of the degree, and is then entrusted with secret knowledge including passwords, signs and grips ( secret handshakes ) confined to his new rank. Although these symbols and gestures are nominally secret, they are readily found in public sources, including those published by Masonic organizations themselves. Another ceremony

33405-575: The dignitaries present at the 1:00 p.m. cornerstone-laying event were President Calvin Coolidge , now- Chief Justice of the United States William Howard Taft, Virginia Governor Elbert Lee Trinkle , and Alexandria Mayor Smoot. Charles H. Callahan was master of ceremonies, and the Rt. Rev. James Edward Freeman, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington , provided the invocation and benediction . President Coolidge laid

33660-403: The edges, and consisted of 9,000 cubic yards (6,900 m) of concrete and 720 short tons (650 t) of reinforcing steel rods. The pad was allowed to set for several months before work began on the foundation itself. The basement of the building was as large as the first two floors combined and was intended to house the structure's mechanical plant. Although steam shovels were used to excavate

33915-422: The election, the electors convene in their respective states (and in Washington D.C.) to vote for president and, on a separate ballot, for vice president. The certified results are opened and counted during a joint session of Congress, held in the first week of January. A candidate who receives an absolute majority of electoral votes for vice president (currently 270 of 538) is declared the winner. If no candidate has

34170-467: The employment of an architect to begin developing plans for the memorial. Watres departed for New York City to interview architects. On the train, he met Harvey Wiley Corbett of the New York City firm of Helmle & Corbett (and coincidentally a Freemason). The GWMNMA selected Corbett to be the chief architect. By February 1922, the GWMNMA had radically revised its plans for the memorial. Now

34425-549: The end of the construction season in the fall of 1924, and that the entire structure would be done by late 1927 or early 1928. The association also decided that a statue of Washington should be placed in the memorial atrium, and that this statue should be a marble copy of Jean-Antoine Houdon 's 1788 statue of George Washington (which stood in the rotunda of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond). In May 1924,

34680-449: The fire danger in the area, walls had to be erected around the land to prevent the public from cutting across the property and roads had to be re-graveled and maintained. In 1935, the GWMNMA set aside the fourth floor as a "States Memorial Hall" (where each state's Grand Lodge could recognize its famous Masons), the sixth floor as a Masonic library and the eighth floor as a museum. The third, fifth and seventh floors had not yet been assigned

34935-532: The first Masonic lodge in Canada at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia . Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States ( VPOTUS ) is the second-highest ranking office in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government , after the president of the United States , and ranks first in the presidential line of succession . The vice president is also an officer in

35190-457: The first evidence of ceremonial regalia. There is no clear mechanism by which these local trade organisations became today's Masonic Lodges. The earliest rituals and passwords known, from operative lodges around the turn of the 17th–18th centuries, show continuity with the rituals developed in the later 18th century by accepted or speculative Masons, as those members who did not practice the physical craft gradually came to be known. The minutes of

35445-404: The first floor auditorium with handrails and bronze windowsills and HVAC ventilation grills. The association also made the decision to begin fund-raising for a number of other projects at the memorial. These included designing, manufacturing and installing stained glass windows in the second floor memorial hall, designing and painting murals on the walls of the memorial hall, finishing the roof over

35700-484: The first hundred years of the United States' existence no fewer than seven proposals to abolish the office of vice president were advanced. The first such constitutional amendment was presented by Samuel W. Dana in 1800; it was defeated by a vote of 27 to 85 in the United States House of Representatives . The second, introduced by United States Senator James Hillhouse in 1808, was also defeated. During

35955-502: The first woman in U.S. history to have presidential powers and duties. Sections 3 and 4 were added because there was ambiguity in the Article   II succession clause regarding a disabled president, including what constituted an " inability ", who determined the existence of an inability, and if a vice president became president for the rest of the presidential term in the case of an inability or became merely "acting president". During

36210-521: The fit between stones). The Helmle & Corbett architectural firm did an extensive study of stone buildings in Europe, and determined that working during good weather was the best way to construct a durable building. During 1923, the GWMNMA raised another $ 500,000 in cash donations, which brought the total received to $ 2 million. The granite for the memorial came from quarries in New Hampshire , and

36465-521: The foundation and found gravel , hard clay , and sand . Soil experts in New York City and with the United States Geological Survey analyzed the soil and provided a guarantee (backed up by a bond ) that no settling of the building would occur due to soil conditions. Ground for the memorial was broken at noon on June 5, 1922. Louis Watres, president of the association, and Charles H. Callahan, vice president, broke ground in

36720-516: The foundation and walls and on landscaping. Topsoil for the landscaping came from the Earl Strong Co. of Alexandria, the grass seed from O.M. Scotts and Sons of Ohio, and other trees, shrubs and landscaping products from C.F. Armiger of Washington, D.C. Revenues easily exceeded these expenditures, as $ 1.8 million had been received in donations and pledges. The same month, the GWMNMA expanded its board of directors from nine to 12. By April 1923,

36975-414: The foundation had been fully excavated and the foundation walls constructed. The Washington Post reported that the concrete foundation was the largest ever cast in a single piece. The foundation (of articulate girder design) was 39,000 square feet (3,600 m) in size, 4.5 to 9 feet (1.4 to 2.7 m) thick, and contained 9,000 cubic yards (6,900 m) of concrete. Plows pulled by mules had reshaped

37230-418: The foundation, the earth was carried away by mule -drawn wagons. A wide road was constructed to the top of Shooter's Hill to permit the transport of earth off the site and construction materials to the hilltop. By July 1922, the GWMNMA had received $ 700,000 in donations and another $ 900,000 in pledges. Some time in the spring of 1922, the GWMNMA also obtained title to the 32-acre (13 ha) tract encompassing

37485-434: The framers of the Constitution anticipated that the vice president would not always be available to fulfill this responsibility, the Constitution provides that the Senate may elect a president pro tempore (or " president for a time ") in order to maintain the proper ordering of the legislative process. In practice, since the early 20th century, neither the president of the Senate nor the pro tempore regularly presides; instead,

37740-430: The front steps of the memorial down to the street below. The cost, however, was still budgeted for $ 4 million. The final major change in the memorial came in early 1924. The height of the tower had been decreased at some point to 280 feet (85 m). But in February 1924, architect Corbett raised the tower's height back to 330 feet (100 m). Given the size and weight of the memorial, even in its early design stages,

37995-406: The fundamental aims of regular Freemasonry. Some jurisdictions have formalized this arrangement through written agreements that specifically outline the terms of shared jurisdiction. Regularity is a concept based on adherence to Masonic Landmarks , the basic membership requirements, tenets and rituals of the craft. Each Grand Lodge sets its own definition of what these landmarks are, and thus what

38250-487: The granite steps leading up to the portico, the walls containing the patio which surrounds the memorial and the stone balustrade for the granite steps were installed. Several hundred plants were also added to the landscaping. In February 1941, the association reported its first big fundraising season since the memorial's dedication, receiving $ 100,000 in cash donations. In 1941, the association raised an additional $ 70,000, leaving it with total funds on hand of $ 225,000. By now,

38505-408: The heating and ventilation system on the first floor. Two other major decisions were made in 1947 as well. Long-time memorial architect Harvey W. Corbett presented his plans for completing the memorial's interior and sculptor Bryant Baker discussed his plans for a life-size statue of George Washington to adorn the memorial hall. The Order of DeMolay , the young men's affiliate of Freemasonry, had won

38760-448: The increasing recognition of Prince Hall Grand Lodges , a branch of Freemasonry created for African Americans. Historically, many "mainstream" or conservative U.S. Grand Lodges refused to recognize Prince Hall Grand Lodges operating in their states, citing Exclusive Jurisdiction. However, this began to change in 1989 when the Grand Lodge of Connecticut extended recognition to its Prince Hall counterpart. This initial recognition created

39015-514: The individual who received the next largest number of votes became vice president. If there were a tie for first or for second place, or if no one won a majority of votes, the president and vice president would be selected by means of contingent elections protocols stated in the clause. The first two vice presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson , both of whom gained the office by virtue of being runners-up in presidential contests, presided regularly over Senate proceedings and did much to shape

39270-585: The interior woodwork was supplied by W.A. Smoot & Co. of Alexandria. Interior painting was done by the W.W. MacCallum Co. of Alexandria, while the terracotta (unglazed baked ceramic) decorations were provided by Ernest Simpson of Alexandria. The aluminum for interior work was supplied by the Aerocrete Corporation and worked and molded into forms by the Aluminum Company of America . Gold vein and Tennessee pink marble were used to line

39525-419: The knowledge of the president. This rapid growth led to Matthew Yglesias and Bruce Ackerman calling for the abolition of the vice presidency while 2008 's both vice presidential candidates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden , said they would reduce the role to simply being an adviser to the president. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Although delegates to the constitutional convention approved establishing

39780-419: The largest Masonic jurisdiction worldwide. However, its membership has declined dramatically - from about 500,000 members in the 1960s to approximately 175,000 in 2021. The organization is structured into various Provincial Grand Lodges at the local level. Similarly, the Grand Lodge of Ireland has experienced a steep decline, with membership falling from 100,000 in 1960 to around 19,000 members currently. In

40035-399: The largest concrete roof in the world at the time. The roof was supported by four steel-reinforced concrete beams, each beam 72 feet (22 m) long and 14.5 feet (4.4 m) deep. Each beam varied from 1 to 5 feet (0.30 to 1.52 m) in thickness, contained 7.5 short tons (6.8 t) of steel reinforcing rods, and weighed 98 short tons (89 t)). The beams were supported at the front of

40290-412: The late 1860s and 1870s, five additional amendments were proposed. One advocate, James Mitchell Ashley , opined that the office of vice president was "superfluous" and dangerous. Garret Hobart , the first vice president under William McKinley , was one of the very few vice presidents at this time who played an important role in the administration. A close confidant and adviser of the president, Hobart

40545-558: The law. In most Lodges, the oath or obligation is taken on a Volume of Sacred Law , whichever book of divine revelation is appropriate to the religious beliefs of the individual brother (usually the Bible in the Anglo-American tradition). In Progressive continental Freemasonry, books other than scripture are permissible, a cause of rupture between Grand Lodges. Since the middle of the 19th century, Masonic historians have sought

40800-599: The left of the main hall there would also be a small room which would contain a replica of the original Masonic lodge room in which Washington himself had presided. Additional details and apparent design changes were revealed in July 1922. Although the building was still just 200 feet (61 m) in height, the press now reported that the building would be built specifically in the Greek and Romanesque Revival styles and be constructed of white marble and white concrete. The atrium of

41055-435: The lighthouse at the port of Ostia Antica near Rome. The first floor was occupied by a main hall with a colonnade on either side and clerestory windows, at the back of which a large statue of Washington would reside. Historic murals would be painted on the walls. To the right and left of the main hall would be large meeting rooms (one for the use of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge and one for use by other Masonic bodies). To

41310-425: The local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 14th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. Freemasonry is the oldest fraternity in the world and among the oldest continued organizations in history. Modern Freemasonry broadly consists of two main recognition groups: Regular Freemasonry , which insists that a “volume of sacred law”, such as

41565-555: The lodge he led as a Worshipful Master ) was asked to preside over its dedication. President William Howard Taft , Vice President James S. Sherman , Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon , Virginia Governor Claude A. Swanson , Virginia Lieutenant Governor J. Taylor Ellyson, the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, Baltimore Mayor J. Barry Mahool , and numerous other dignitaries attended

41820-399: The lodge held. The GWMNMA had raised $ 5,000, and another $ 20,000 in donations was anticipated. GWMNMA President Thomas J. Shryock died on February 3, 1918, and Louis Arthur Watres (former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and a former Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania) was elected president as his successor. At its annual meeting just two weeks later, the association approved

42075-536: The main themes of each degree are illustrated by tracing boards . These painted depictions of Masonic themes are exhibited in the lodge according to which degree is being worked and are explained to the candidate to illustrate the legend and symbolism of each degree. The idea of Masonic brotherhood probably descends from a 16th-century legal definition of a "brother" as one who has taken an oath of mutual support to another. Accordingly, Masons swear at each degree to support and protect their brethren unless they have broken

42330-478: The manner they find most satisfying. Some will simply enjoy the dramatics, or the management and administration of the lodge, others will explore the history, ritual and symbolism of the craft, others will focus their involvement on their Lodge's sociopolitical side, perhaps in association with other lodges, while still others will concentrate on the lodge's charitable functions. Grand Lodges and Grand Orients are independent and sovereign bodies that govern Masonry in

42585-435: The memorial hall, the north lodge room and the Alexandria-Washington replica lodge room on the second floor of the memorial. To complete the rooms and hallways leading to them would cost about $ 193,000. Although fund-raising for the effort began, in 1936 the organization learned that it had to complete the library and elevators in the tower first. In February 1931, Florence M. Lemert, widow of Rae John Lemert, Grand Historian of

42840-402: The memorial temple had to be built in Alexandria due to Washington's extensive ties to that city. George Washington Memorial Park seemed a good location, but this park was still privately owned by the WMAA. In September 1915, the Alexandria-Washington Lodge offered to buy several lots on top of Shooter's Hill for $ 1,000. At about the same time, the city of Alexandria discussed whether it should ask

43095-442: The memorial to the newly completed auditorium. Several items of Washingtoniana were employed during the dedication. Among these were the Bible which Washington used when initiated into Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 in 1752, the trowel and gavel Washington used while laying the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol building, the Bible on which Washington took the presidential oath of office and a silver urn made by Paul Revere which contained

43350-471: The memorial's interior radiators were supplied and installed by the American Radiator Co. Interior heating and ventilation units and ductwork were provided by the B.F. Sturtevant Co., Benjamin F. Shore Co., and Buffalo Forge Co . Modern thermostats provided by Johnson Service Co. were used to control the heating and cooling. The furnaces used heating oil for fuel, and were installed by

43605-514: The memorial's tower. The tower was completed, and floors for the eighth, ninth, and tenth levels installed. Work on the exterior of the memorial ended on February 8, 1931. The Grand Chapter of Virginia of Royal Arch Masonry donated the aluminum double- keystone symbol and light at the top of the building. The fixture, the largest of its kind in the world at the time, was in place by February 1929 but not yet illuminated (as exterior lighting systems were still being installed). The $ 17,000 light fixture

43860-499: The memorial. The idea to construct a Masonic memorial for George Washington was first proposed in 1852 by the Washington area's "mother lodge," Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 (located in Fredericksburg, Virginia). Funds were sought from Grand Lodges ( state -level Masonic organizations) throughout the United States to construct a memorial Masonic Temple with a large statue in the vestibule . Enough funds were raised to commission

44115-402: The memorial. The Southern Jurisdiction's donation effectively ended this debate. It also encouraged many Grand Lodges (state organizations) of Masonry to make large donations to the memorial, bringing new life to the memorial's fund-raising efforts. The association also agreed to expend funds to build a kitchen and dining room, hang bronze doors on the first floor and install bronze grillwork for

44370-421: The mode of election of the executive but had not reached consensus. This all changed on September 4, when the committee recommended that the nation's chief executive be elected by an Electoral College , with each state having a number of presidential electors equal to the sum of that state's allocation of representatives and senators . Recognizing that loyalty to one's individual state outweighed loyalty to

44625-538: The names of candidates into nomination, followed by a ballot in which candidates must receive a majority to secure the party's nomination. In modern practice, the presidential nominee has considerable influence on the decision, and since the mid 20th century it became customary for that person to select a preferred running mate, who is then nominated and accepted by the convention. Prior to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940, only two presidents—Andrew Jackson in 1832 and Abraham Lincoln in 1864 —had done so. In recent years, with

44880-476: The names of the architects, consulting architects, landscape architects, engineers, and contractors working on the memorial; a Christian Bible ; a lambskin apron ; a copy of William Joseph Williams ' 1794 portrait of George Washington in Masonic regalia; several books and pamphlets concerning the life of Washington and the history of Freemasonry in America; and the names of the board of directors and officers of

45135-416: The new federation, the Constitution's framers assumed individual electors would be inclined to choose a candidate from their own state (a so-called " favorite son " candidate) over one from another state. So they created the office of vice president and required the electors to vote for two candidates, at least one of whom must be from outside the elector's state, believing that the second vote would be cast for

45390-516: The non-marble floors were covered in cork (provided and installed by the David E. Kennedy Co.) and carpeting was provided by Woodward & Lothrop (the department store chain). Acoustic tile was used in many rooms to dampen the echoes produced by the granite walls. This tile was provided by the George P. Little Co. Terrazzo (faux marble flooring) work was done by the V. Foscato Co. of New York. Much of

45645-564: The office flows primarily from formal and informal delegations of authority from the president and Congress. These delegations can vary in significance; for example, the vice president is a statutory member of both the National Security Council and the board of regents of the Smithsonian Institution . The extent of the roles and functions of the vice president depend on the specific relationship between

45900-462: The office, with both its executive and senatorial functions, not many understood the office, and so they gave the vice president few duties and little power. Only a few states had an analogous position. Among those that did, New York's constitution provided that "the lieutenant-governor shall, by virtue of his office, be president of the Senate, and, upon an equal division, have a casting voice in their decisions, but not vote on any other occasion". As

46155-406: The original Constitution. In the election of 1796 , Federalist candidate John Adams won the presidency, but his bitter rival, Democratic-Republican candidate Thomas Jefferson, came second and thus won the vice presidency. As a result, the president and vice president were from opposing parties; and Jefferson used the vice presidency to frustrate the president's policies. Then, four years later, in

46410-531: The origins of the movement in a series of similar documents known as the Old Charges , dating from the Regius Poem in about 1425 to the beginning of the 18th century. Alluding to the membership of a lodge of operative masons , they relate it to a mythologised history of the craft, the duties of its grades, and the manner in which oaths of fidelity are to be taken on joining. The 15th century also sees

46665-450: The parade. Originally estimated to incorporate 20,000 participants, only 15,000 marched in the parade through Alexandria to the memorial prior to the dedication ceremony. More than 5,000 U.S. military personnel and 3,000 Knights Templar (the third part of the York Rite system of Masonic degrees) marched in the procession. The contingents took more than two hours to pass the reviewing stand. Representatives from every branch of Freemasonry in

46920-441: The party whose presidential–vice presidential ticket receives a plurality of popular votes in the state has its entire slate of elector nominees chosen as the state's electors. Maine and Nebraska deviate from this winner-take-all practice, awarding two electors to the statewide winner and one to the winner in each congressional district . On the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December, about six weeks after

47175-476: The passage in 1967 of the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the US Constitution, a vacancy in the office of vice president may be filled by presidential nomination and confirmation by a majority vote in both houses of Congress. The modern vice presidency is a position of significant power and is widely seen as an integral part of a president's administration. The presidential candidate selects the candidate for

47430-501: The perimeter of the second floor auditorium to help support the auditorium roof. Each column was 18.5 feet (5.6 m) high and 2.3 feet (0.70 m) in diameter, and weighed 56 short tons (51 t). Once the columns were in place, a jack arch was constructed above them. The arch had two cross-members (each consisting of five stones weighing a total of 70 short tons (64 t)) supported by four 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide, 50 feet (15 m) long steel rods placed in shallow grooves on

47685-440: The period 1884-2012, found that vice presidential candidates increased their tickets’ performance in their home states by 2.67 percentage points on average. The vice president is elected indirectly by the voters of each state and the District of Columbia through the Electoral College, a body of electors formed every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president to concurrent four-year terms. Each state

47940-479: The plumbing and sewage work: Earl Riley, the D.C. Engineering Co., Potomac Clay Works and the Thos. Somerville Co. The interior heavy hardware as well as some heavy internal equipment was supplied by Henry H. Meyer & Co. of Washington, D.C., while lighter hardware and fixtures were supplied by Worth Hulfish & Sons of Alexandria, Baldwin-Stuart Co. of Hartford, Connecticut and Sargent & Co. of New York. Many of

48195-509: The presidency (the state of Roosevelt's health had also been kept from Truman). At the time he said, "I felt like the moon, the stars and all the planets fell on me." Determined that no future vice president should be so uninformed upon unexpectedly becoming president, Truman made the vice president a member of the National Security Council , a participant in Cabinet meetings and a recipient of regular security briefings in 1949. The stature of

48450-610: The presidency intra-term. In addition to Tyler, they are Millard Fillmore , Andrew Johnson , Chester A. Arthur , Theodore Roosevelt , Calvin Coolidge , Harry S. Truman , Lyndon B. Johnson , and Gerald Ford . Four of them—Roosevelt, Coolidge, Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson—were later elected to full terms of their own. Four sitting vice presidents have been elected president: John Adams in 1796 , Thomas Jefferson in 1800 , Martin Van Buren in 1836 , and George H. W. Bush in 1988 . Likewise, two former vice presidents have won

48705-519: The presidency, Richard Nixon in 1968 and Joe Biden in 2020 . Also, in recent decades four incumbent vice presidents lost a presidential election: Nixon in 1960 , Hubert Humphrey in 1968, Al Gore in 2000 , and Kamala Harris in 2024 . Additionally, former vice president Walter Mondale lost in 1984 . In total, 15 vice presidents have become president. Sections 3 and 4 of the Twenty-fifth Amendment provide for situations where

48960-442: The presidency. Later, when Obama became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, former president Jimmy Carter cautioned against Clinton being picked as the vice presidential nominee on the ticket, saying "I think it would be the worst mistake that could be made. That would just accumulate the negative aspects of both candidates", citing opinion polls showing 50% of US voters with a negative view of Hillary Clinton. Though

49215-595: The president and the vice president, but often include tasks such as drafter and spokesperson for the administration's policies, adviser to the president, and being a symbol of American concern or support. The influence of the vice president in these roles depends almost entirely on the characteristics of the particular administration. Most recent vice presidents have been viewed as important presidential advisors. Walter Mondale, unlike his immediate predecessors, did not want specific responsibilities to be delegated to him. Mondale believed, as he wrote President-elect Jimmy Carter

49470-595: The president is temporarily or permanently unable to lead, such as if the president has a surgical procedure, becomes seriously ill or injured, or is otherwise unable to discharge the powers or duties of the presidency. Section   3 deals with self-declared incapacity, and Section   4 addresses incapacity declared by the joint action of the vice president and of a majority of the Cabinet. While Section   4 has never been invoked, Section   3 has been invoked on four occasions by three presidents, first in 1985. When invoked on November 19, 2021, Kamala Harris became

49725-542: The president or Congress. Nevertheless, many vice presidents have previously served in Congress, and are often tasked with helping to advance an administration's legislative priorities. Kamala Harris is the 49th and current vice president of the United States. A former senator, she is the first African American , first Asian American and first female occupant of the office. Harris is the highest ranking female official in United States history. She assumed office on January 20, 2021. No mention of an office of vice president

49980-505: The president pro tempore usually delegates the task to other Senate members. Rule XIX , which governs debate, does not authorize the vice president to participate in debate, and grants only to members of the Senate (and, upon appropriate notice, former presidents of the United States) the privilege of addressing the Senate, without granting a similar privilege to the sitting vice president. Thus, Time magazine wrote in 1925, during

50235-526: The president's daily intelligence briefings and frequently participate in meetings in the Situation Room with the president. To be constitutionally eligible to serve as the nation's vice president, a person must, according to the Twelfth Amendment, meet the eligibility requirements to become president (which are stated in Article   II, Section   1, Clause   5 ). Thus, to serve as vice president, an individual must: A person who meets

50490-505: The president. The vice president is also a statutory member of the United States Cabinet and United States National Security Council and thus plays a significant role in executive government and national security matters. As the vice president's role within the executive branch has expanded, the legislative branch role has contracted; for example, vice presidents now preside over the Senate only infrequently. The role of

50745-408: The presidential nomination usually being a foregone conclusion as the result of the primary process, the selection of a vice presidential candidate is often announced prior to the actual balloting for the presidential candidate, and sometimes before the beginning of the convention itself. The most recent presidential nominee not to name a vice presidential choice, leaving the matter up to the convention,

51000-537: The presidential nominee is clear, including cases where the presidential nomination is still in doubt as the convention approaches, campaigns for the two positions may become intertwined. In 1976, Ronald Reagan , who was trailing President Gerald Ford in the presidential delegate count, announced prior to the Republican National Convention that, if nominated, he would select Pennsylvania Senator Richard Schweiker as his running mate. Reagan

51255-446: The presumptive Republican nominee. Obama rejected the offer outright, saying, "I want everybody to be absolutely clear. I'm not running for vice president. I'm running for president of the United States of America," adding, "With all due respect. I won twice as many states as Senator Clinton. I've won more of the popular vote than Senator Clinton. I have more delegates than Senator Clinton. So, I don't know how somebody who's in second place

51510-487: The proceedings nationwide. (Both the loudspeakers and temporary radio station were the same which President Warren G. Harding had used during the laying of the cornerstone for the Lincoln Memorial .) Every U.S. state deposited an item into the cornerstone. Other items deposited in the cornerstone were an American flag; a bronze medal celebrating the inauguration of Warren G. Harding; a bronze plaque containing

51765-566: The putative formation of the first Grand Lodge in London. The Grand Lodge of England appointed a Provincial Grand Master for North America in 1731, based in Pennsylvania, leading to the creation of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania . In Canada, Erasmus James Philipps became a Freemason while working on a commission to resolve boundaries in New England and, in 1739, he became provincial Grand Master for Nova Scotia ; Philipps founded

52020-533: The relief of need in many fields, such as education, health and old age. Private Lodges form the backbone of Freemasonry, with the sole right to elect their own candidates for initiation as Masons or admission as joining Masons, and sometimes with exclusive rights over residents local to their premises. There are non-local Lodges where Masons meet for wider or narrower purposes, such or in association with some hobby, sport, Masonic research, business, profession, regiment or college. The rank of Master Mason also entitles

52275-404: The religious volume sacred to his personal faith to do good as a Mason. In the course of three degrees, Masons will promise to keep the secrets of their degree from lower degrees and outsiders, as far as practicality and the law permit, and to support a fellow Mason in distress. There is formal instruction as to the duties of a Freemason, but on the whole, Freemasons are left to explore the craft in

52530-489: The rest of Shooter's Hill. About 22 acres (8.9 ha) of the tract, valued at $ 1 million, was purchased from the city of Alexandria at almost no cost (essentially making it a gift from the city). The total size of the tract owned by the Masons was now 36 acres (15 ha). By January 1923 the foundation was almost completed and the granite walls for the first floor were rising. Work proceeded very rapidly through June. By February 1923, $ 1 million had been spent on constructing

52785-519: The ritual, the number of officers present, the layout of the meeting room, etc. varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Almost all officers of a Lodge are elected or appointed annually. Every Masonic Lodge has a Master, two Wardens, a treasurer and a secretary. There is also always a Tyler , or outer guard, outside the door of a working Lodge, who may be paid to secure its privacy. Other offices vary between jurisdictions. Each Masonic Lodge exists and operates according to ancient principles known as

53040-405: The role of Senate president. Several 19th-century vice presidents—such as George Dallas , Levi Morton , and Garret Hobart —followed their example and led effectively, while others were rarely present. The emergence of political parties and nationally coordinated election campaigns during the 1790s (which the Constitution's framers had not contemplated) quickly frustrated the election plan in

53295-439: The room" when a big decision was made; later, as president himself, Biden adopted this model with his own vice president, Kamala Harris. Recent vice presidents have been delegated authority by presidents to handle significant issue areas independently. Joe Biden (who has held the office of President and Vice President of the United States) has observed that the presidency is "too big anymore for any one man or woman". Dick Cheney

53550-651: The rooms in the unfinished tower to the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (also known as "the Grotto"), which had raised $ 25,000 to finish the room. The Supreme Council, Scottish Rite (Southern Jurisdiction, USA) donated $ 100,000 to finish the north lodge room on the second floor and dedicate it to Cryptic Masonry . Prior to this donation, the association was unsure whether appendant bodies of Freemasonry should be allowed to occupy rooms in

53805-402: The same one. (In 1849, for example, the Grand Lodge of New York split into two rival factions, each claiming to be the legitimate Grand Lodge. Other Grand Lodges had to choose between them until the schism was healed. ) Exclusive Jurisdiction can be waived when the two overlapping Grand Lodges are themselves in amity and agree to share jurisdiction. For example, since the Grand Lodge of Connecticut

54060-400: The seating and woodwork came from the American Seating Co. of Grand Rapids. The fan-shaped ceiling and the frieze in the auditorium were designed by Louis Ludwig of Washington, D.C., while the installation of the ceiling and the frieze was done by the A.W. Lee Co. of Washington. Contractors were also busy installing sashes, windows and ventilation grillwork throughout the building, and laying

54315-456: The side of the hill into its terraced form, and most of the landscaping was now done. Total cash donations received by April 1923 totaled more than $ 1 million. Concrete for the first floor was poured in June 1923 and once it had set, the eight green 20 short tons (18 t) granite marble columns in the atrium were set in place. Each green marble column was 40.5 feet (12.3 m) high and 2.5 feet (0.76 m) in diameter when finished. To prevent

54570-728: The solely ministerial role the president of the Senate serves in the process. The next such joint session will next take place following the 2024 presidential election , on January 6, 2025 (unless Congress sets a different date by law). In this capacity, four vice presidents have been able to announce their own election to the presidency: John Adams, in 1797, Thomas Jefferson , in 1801, Martin Van Buren , in 1837 and George H. W. Bush , in 1989. Conversely, John C. Breckinridge , in 1861, Richard Nixon , in 1961, and Al Gore , in 2001, all had to announce their opponent's election. In 1969, Vice President Hubert Humphrey would have done so as well, following his 1968 loss to Richard Nixon; however, on

54825-411: The start of that term, on January 20, 1937 , Garner had been the first vice president to be sworn into office on the Capitol steps in the same ceremony with the president, a tradition that continues. Prior to that time, vice presidents were traditionally inaugurated at a separate ceremony in the Senate chamber. Gerald Ford and Nelson Rockefeller , who were each appointed to the office under the terms of

55080-414: The structure began again in March 1929, the terrace and lawns were resodded. The first Masonic degrees were conferred in the unfinished memorial in mid-October 1929. The first Blue Lodge meeting to be held at the memorial occurred on November 14, 1929. With so many skilled workers unemployed due to the Great Depression, the association was able to hire more men at lower wages than before. By February 1930,

55335-400: The summer of 1927 from Corbett's maquette . At the group's February 1927 meeting, the GWMNMA officers reported raising another $ 125,000 in cash donations. Six months later, the roof over the first three floors was put in place. The concrete roof was designed by Gunvald Aus , who also designed the Woolworth Building in New York City. Pouring of the concrete roof began on August 22, 1927, and

55590-409: The tenure of Vice President Charles G. Dawes , "once in four years the Vice President can make a little speech, and then he is done. For four years he then has to sit in the seat of the silent, attending to speeches ponderous or otherwise, of deliberation or humor." In their capacity as president of the Senate, the vice president may preside over most impeachment trials of federal officers , although

55845-429: The third floor, and the George Washington National Bicentennial Commission had already scheduled numerous programs for February. Initially, May 13—the 325th anniversary of the founding of the English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia —was chosen as the date for the dedication. But since the number 13 was considered unlucky , May 12 was chosen instead. Even with an extra two months, the contractors still rushed to finish

56100-417: The top drum and the capital were placed wedge-shaped thin sheets of lead to inhibit slippage. By October 15, the first floor and granite outer walls were complete. Laying of the memorial's cornerstone occurred on November 1, 1923. Planners had initially proposed that cornerstone be laid on November 4, 1923—the 170th anniversary of George Washington's initiation into Freemasonry. But because November 4 fell on

56355-443: The top of hill removed (lowering the elevation to just 108 feet (33 m)) in order to accommodate the 177-foot (54 m) wide by 195-foot (59 m) long foundation. To ensure that the clay remained damp and did not dry out, which would cause the building to settle, a concrete pad 168 by 248 feet (51 by 76 m) was laid on top of the clay. This pad was 9 feet (2.7 m) deep in the center but only 6.5 feet (2.0 m) deep on

56610-435: The total cost of completing the structure had risen to $ 6 million. The GWMNMA agreed to spend $ 60,000 in 1942 in order to finish the south lodge room on the second floor and dedicate it to the Blue Lodge. The sum also would cover the cost of finishing the room in the southwest corner of the second floor to house the Alexandria-Washington Lodge's Washingtoniana. Five empty lots on Shooter's Hill were also purchased in 1942, so that

56865-427: The tower section had risen to 190 feet (58 m) above elevation, 50 feet (15 m) more than the construction schedule anticipated. At the GWMNMA annual meeting, the association voted to establish a $ 1 million endowment fund to maintain the memorial after it was completed. In 1930, the association spent $ 225,000 on the memorial. That same year, GWMNMA President Watres donated a large Celesta -like set of chimes for

57120-606: The tradition, it does not have a presence in every country. In the spirit of brotherhood and hopefulness, however, Freemasons usually presume that clandestine lodges may nonetheless exist in those countries in which it is banned, even if they may not actually exist. The degrees of Freemasonry are the three grades of medieval craft guilds : Entered Apprentice , Journeyman or Fellow of the craft (now called either “Fellowcraft” or “Fellow Craft” in English speaking jurisdictions, and “Companion” in non-English speaking jurisdictions), and Master Mason . The candidate of these three degrees

57375-529: The underside. The GWMNMA anticipated spending $ 595,000 in construction funds in 1925, and raised another $ 500,000 in cash donations. In 1926, the GWMNMA appropriated another $ 500,000 to continue construction on the memorial. The first event held in the memorial was the February 22, 1926, GWMNMA annual meeting. The group reported that $ 2 million in cash donations had been received thus far, and $ 1.8 million expended. Eight pink Conway granite columns—each 40 feet (12 m) high and weighing 68 short tons (62 t)—for

57630-432: The vice presidency grew again while Richard Nixon was in office (1953–1961). He attracted the attention of the media and the Republican Party, when Dwight Eisenhower authorized him to preside at Cabinet meetings in his absence and to assume temporary control of the executive branch, which he did after Eisenhower suffered a heart attack on September 24, 1955, ileitis in June 1956, and a stroke in November 1957. Nixon

57885-450: The vice presidency has changed dramatically since the office was created during the 1787 Constitutional Convention . Originally something of an afterthought, the vice presidency was considered an insignificant office for much of the nation's history, especially after the Twelfth Amendment meant that vice presidents were no longer the runners-up in the presidential election. The vice president's role began steadily growing in importance during

58140-405: The vice presidency to a branch of the government, causing a dispute among scholars about which branch the office belongs to (the executive, the legislative, both, or neither). The modern view of the vice president as an officer of the executive branch—one isolated almost entirely from the legislative branch—is due in large part to the assignment of executive authority to the vice president by either

58395-436: The vice presidency, as their running mate in the lead-up to the presidential election. While the exact nature of the role varies in each administration, since the vice president's service in office is by election, the president cannot dismiss the vice president, and the personal working-relationship with the president varies, most modern vice presidents serve as a key presidential advisor, governing partner, and representative of

58650-405: The vice president does not need to have any political experience, most major-party vice presidential nominees are current or former United States senators or representatives, with the occasional nominee being a current or former governor, a high-ranking former military officer (active military officers being prohibited under US law from holding political office), or a holder of a major position within

58905-408: The vice presidential nominee representing regions, constituencies, or ideologies at odds with those of the presidential candidate. As a result, vice presidents were often excluded from the policy-making process of the new administration. Many times their relationships with the president and his staff were aloof, non-existent, or even adversarial. Historically, the vice presidential nominee was usually

59160-430: The view that the office of the vice presidency had historically been a wasted asset and wished to have his vice president involved in the decision-making process. Carter pointedly considered, according to Joel Goldstein, the way Roosevelt treated Truman as "immoral". Another factor behind the rise in prestige of the vice presidency was the expanded use of presidential preference primaries for choosing party nominees during

59415-497: The walls of the first floor atrium and the second floor memorial hall and ceilings on both floors were plastered. But by the end of 1933, no heating had been installed in the second floor hall. Despite the immediate flurry of work on the memorial after its dedication, construction and decoration of the interior slowed significantly over the next two decades. The Great Depression and World War II left both funds and building materials in short supply. The association wished to complete

59670-440: The war. It was not until May 1945 that the room dedicated to the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (the Shriners) on the north side of the first floor was begun. Placed in the finished room was an original oil painting of Shrine co-founder William J. Florence (valued at $ 5,000), a copy of the Shrine's Ritual in the handwriting of co-founder Walter M. Fleming , a collection of jewels, and other items. In time,

59925-425: Was subdivided into housing tracts and sold, with 25 acres (10 ha) on top of Shooter's Hill reserved for a memorial. The sale of the housing subdivisions paid for the purchase of the entire tract, with enough left over to provide for construction of a memorial. Within a month of the purchase of Shooter's Hill, the WMAA decided to build a park rather than a memorial. About 15 acres (6.1 ha) were set aside for

60180-411: Was Democrat Adlai Stevenson in 1956. The convention chose Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver over Massachusetts Senator (and later president) John F. Kennedy . At the tumultuous 1972 Democratic convention, presidential nominee George McGovern selected Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton as his running mate, but numerous other candidates were either nominated from the floor or received votes during

60435-434: Was a member of Pacific Lodge No. 233 in the state of New York and had served as director of the Washington Bicentennial Commission. Artist Hattie Elizabeth Burdette painted the picture in 1932. Actor Tefft Johnson modeled for the portrait, posing in the Masonic apron and wearing the same jewel Washington himself had worn. The chair in the painting also belonged to Washington and the pedestal and background cloth belonged to

60690-412: Was also visible on the world stage during his time in office. Until 1961, vice presidents had their offices on Capitol Hill , a formal office in the Capitol itself and a working office in the Russell Senate Office Building . Lyndon B. Johnson was the first vice president to also be given an office in the White House complex, in the Old Executive Office Building . The former Navy Secretary's office in

60945-548: Was called "Assistant President". However, until 1919, vice presidents were not included in meetings of the President's Cabinet . This precedent was broken by Woodrow Wilson when he asked Thomas R. Marshall to preside over Cabinet meetings while Wilson was in France negotiating the Treaty of Versailles . President Warren G. Harding also invited Calvin Coolidge, to meetings. The next vice president, Charles G. Dawes , did not seek to attend Cabinet meetings under President Coolidge, declaring that "the precedent might prove injurious to

61200-448: Was completed on August 30. Steel for the roof was provided by Concrete Steel Co. of Washington, D.C. The Vulcanite Portland Cement Co. of Philadelphia provided the cement, and Cranford Construction Co. poured the roof. A total of 71 short tons (64 t) of steel reinforcing rods were used in the roof, which contained 953 cubic yards (729 m) of concrete. The roof was 74.75 feet (22.78 m) wide and 110 feet (34 m) long—reportedly

61455-443: Was considered to hold a tremendous amount of power and frequently made policy decisions on his own, without the knowledge of the president. Biden was assigned by Barack Obama to oversee Iraq policy; Obama was said to have said, "Joe, you do Iraq." In February 2020, Donald Trump appointed Mike Pence to lead his response to COVID-19 and, upon his ascension to the presidency, Biden put Kamala Harris in charge of controlling migration at

61710-495: Was damaged, and given to the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). The VFW turned it into a memorial to American war dead, and erected it in front of Alexandria's Union Station. In December 1924, it was estimated that the building would be complete in three to six years. Work on the building slowed in 1925 due to the difficult nature of completing the roof and raising the tower. About 5,500 cubic feet (160 m) of pink Conway granite (also quarried near Redstone)

61965-482: Was denied re-nomination at the 1944 Democratic National Convention . Harry Truman was selected instead. During his 82-day vice presidency, Truman was never informed about any war or post-war plans, including the Manhattan Project . Truman had no visible role in the Roosevelt administration outside of his congressional responsibilities and met with the president only a few times during his tenure as vice president. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, and Truman succeeded to

62220-465: Was estimated that the building could be completed if another $ 500,000 was raised in 1929. The Grand Lodge of the state of Virginia announced at the meeting that it had agreed to fund the construction of bronze doors for the memorial at a cost of $ 10,000. At the close of the meeting, the GWMNMA established a formal dedication date of 1932 for the memorial. In February 1929, the GWMNMA learned that $ 400,000 in cash donations were received in 1928. When work on

62475-457: Was expected to be complete by February 1932. Work on the outbuilding housing the memorial's boiler room began in late March 1931. The brick building was constructed by the Temple B. Greenstreet Co. of Washington, D.C., and the brick smokestacks built by the Alphonse Custodis Co. of New York. A steam tunnel 8 by 8 feet (2.4 by 2.4 m) square and 600 feet (180 m) long carried heat to the building. The outbuilding's two low-pressure boilers and

62730-467: Was first tested in 1841, following the death of President William Henry Harrison , only 31 days into his term. Harrison's vice president, John Tyler , asserted that under the Constitution, he had succeeded to the presidency, not just to its powers and duties. He had himself sworn in as president and assumed full presidential powers, refusing to acknowledge documents referring to him as "Acting President". Although some in Congress denounced Tyler's claim as

62985-447: Was made at the 1787 Constitutional Convention until near the end, when an eleven-member committee on "Leftover Business" proposed a method of electing the chief executive (president). Delegates had previously considered the selection of the Senate's presiding officer, deciding that "the Senate shall choose its own President", and had agreed that this official would be designated the executive's immediate successor. They had also considered

63240-414: Was made to complete the first floor, the lodge rooms on the second floor or any of the tower rooms in time for the dedication. The memorial had been constructed without incurring any debt. From the start of the project, the Masonic bodies involved in the memorial's construction resolved not to sign any contract or begin any work until the money for such efforts was in hand. At the time of the dedication, not

63495-416: Was provided by G.O. Robertson of Delaware; Ernest Gichner of Washington, D.C.; and the E. Van Norden Co. of New York. The Hires-Turner Glass Co. of Rosslyn, Virginia , provided the windows and stained glass. The lighting fixtures were supplied by the Sterling Bronze Works, while electrical supplies were furnished by the National Electrical Supply Co. of Washington and A.L. Ladd of Alexandria. Four firms oversaw

63750-447: Was provided by the Maine & New Hampshire Granite Corp. Some of these blocks were as much as 20 feet (6.1 m) long. By the time of the GWMNMA's annual meeting in February 1924, construction on the first floor was almost complete. The first five terraces above the street (the "lower terrace") were built using Potomac bluestone for the walls, while the walks were graveled. The topmost sixth terrace (the "upper terrace", which encircled

64005-431: Was received in May 1925 and used to build the memorial hall on the second floor. The walls of the hall were already 32 feet (9.8 m) high, and about 14 feet (4.3 m) of granite needed to be raised on the northeast and south sides of the hall to complete them. (They were 50 feet (15 m) when finished in December 1925.) Sixteen columns of St. Genevieve marble , quarried in Missouri , were procured and placed around

64260-459: Was seen as little more than a minor position. John Adams, the first vice president, was the first of many frustrated by the "complete insignificance" of the office. To his wife Abigail Adams he wrote, "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man   ... or his imagination contrived or his imagination conceived; and as I can do neither good nor evil, I must be borne away by others and met

64515-450: Was the first presidential aspirant to announce his selection for vice president before the beginning of the convention. Reagan's supporters then unsuccessfully sought to amend the convention rules so that Gerald Ford would be required to name his vice presidential running mate in advance as well. This move backfired to a degree, as Schweiker's relatively liberal voting record alienated many of the more conservative delegates who were considering

64770-400: Was the mechanical engineer; and Carl Rust Parker of Olmsted Brothers was the landscape architect . The general contractor was the Percy Cranford Co., but the actual masonry work was done by the Samuel Miller Co. (both companies were located in Washington, D.C.). Corbett's initial design was for a memorial about 200 feet (61 m) high. Corbett drew his inspiration from the restoration of

65025-506: Was the second time Webster declined the office, which William Henry Harrison had first offered to him. Ironically, both the presidents making the offer to Webster died in office, meaning the three-time candidate would have become president had he accepted either. Since presidents rarely die in office, however, the better preparation for the presidency was considered to be the office of Secretary of State , in which Webster served under Harrison, Tyler, and later, Taylor's successor, Fillmore. In

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