National monument (United States)

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/national-monument-united-states

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the legal basis?Antiquities Act of 1906 grants presidential authority for designation
2. What is the number of monuments?Approximately 138 national monuments exist
3. What is a national monument in the United States?A national monument is a special place protected by the President to keep natural, historic, or cultural treasures safe. It is created quickly by a presidential proclamation under the Antiquities Act of 1906. These sites can be anything from dinosaur fossils to ancient buildings.
4. How does a place become a national monument?The President can declare a site a national monument using the Antiquities Act. This power lets the President protect the place right away, before Congress has to act. The proclamation must name a historic or scientific object on federal land.

Executive Authority: The power of the President to issue directives and proclamations.
Federal Land Management: The administration and care of lands owned by the U.S. government.
Designation Process: The formal steps required to officially establish a protected area like a national monument.