News: History
What comes to mind when you think of Washington, D.C.? You might envisage the stately monuments and memorials that dot the United States' capital city, the cornucopia of museums that enrich the area with culture and history, and the imposing federal buildings that house the movers and shakers of politics. Or, you might imagine the impressive sprawl of living history that puts on a spectacular show in the nation's capital each spring. Lining the Tidal Basin on the banks of the Potomac River, more than 3,000 Japanese cherry blossom trees epitomize a monument of their own. You might be familiar with how these trees came to Washington, D.C. (the simple iteration is that they were gifted to the U.S. from Tokyo, Japan, in the early 1900s), but there's more than meets the eye to the famed trees' origin story, one that took more than 25 years to take root.
On March 28, 1912, a one-paragraph article appeared in the Washington Post with the headline, "Mrs. Taft Plants a Tree." The day before, First Lady Helen "Nellie" Herron Taft, alongside Viscountess Iwa Chinda, the wife of the Japanese ambassador, had helped plant two Japanese cherry blossom trees at the northern end of Washington, D.C.'s Tidal Basin. The transaction wasn't exactly newsworthy at the time—there were no photographers, and just a handful of people were present—but among them was a woman whose staunch campaign for the flowering trees had begun many years before.
Eliza Scidmore, before becoming the first woman writer, photographer, and board member of the National Geographic Society, traveled to Japan in 1885. There, she was captivated by the fleeting beauty of the Japanese cherry blossom trees in full bloom. Upon her return to the U.S., Scidmore began a one-woman crusade to convince authorities in Washington, D.C., to plant cherry blossom trees on a stretch of raw land adjacent to the Potomac River. Though her pleas were routinely ignored, Scidmore continued her campaign for more than two decades. Then, in 1908, Scidmore formed an alliance with Dr. David Fairchild, a plant explorer who worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and who shared Scidmore's deference for Japanese cherry blossom trees.
In 1909, with Fairchild's backing, Scidmore solicited the trees once more—this time in a letter to First Lady Helen Taft. To Scidmore's delight, Mrs. Taft replied just two days later, writing, "I have taken the matter up and am promised the trees." Though Mrs. Taft didn't know it at the time, the plan would take a turn. Enter Dr. Jokichi Takamine, a renowned Japanese chemist. Hearing word of the first lady's endorsement, Takamine conferred with the Japanese consul in New York as well as with the mayor of Tokyo. Arrangements were made for the cherry blossom trees to arrive as a gift from Japan's capital city. The trees, bestowed as a gesture of international friendship, were intended to consolidate ties between the two countries.
Commissioned by Tokyo's mayor, 2,000 Japanese cherry blossom trees arrived in the U.S. in January 1910, but there was a complication—the shipment was infested with insects and disease and had to be burned. A fresh crop of pristine cherry blossom trees, this time about 3,000 of them, followed a couple years later. And on March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Taft used a spade to break ground on the trees' new, permanent home as Scidmore saw her own assays come to fruition.
Today, an approximate 2-mile (3.21 kilometer) swath of resplendent Japanese cherry blossom trees burst in shades of pink and white along the Tidal Basin each year. This iconic springtime scene, which coincides with the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, is not just an enduring symbol of camaraderie between the U.S. and Japan—it's also a testament to the dogged persistence of Eliza Scidmore and her fellow cherry blossom champions.
Think about and discuss these questions:
What happened after Eliza Scidmore wrote to First Lady Helen Taft about planting cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C.?
Why do you think many people travel to visit the cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., each year? Would you like to visit them?
QUESTION 5
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Which of these is a statement of opinion?
The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., are not as captivating as the ones located in Japan.
The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., are a testament to the efforts put forth by Eliza Scidmore.
The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., can be found along the banks of the Potomac River.
The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., have an iconic pink and white appearance during the springtime.
1 answer
The statement of opinion is:
The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., are not as captivating as the ones located in Japan.
This statement expresses a personal judgment about the relative appeal of the cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., compared to those in Japan, which is subjective and not a factual claim. The other statements are either factual or descriptive.
