Four astronauts were awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal.
The decoration is awarded to an individual or individuals who perform an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States.
Those awarded included John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962 and three members of the Apollo 11 crew: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first men to walk on the moon in 1969, and Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 pilot.
The ceremony took place in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, where the leaders of the House and Senate presented the medals.
Quotes
For many, many thousands of years, people had looked up and wondered, they had been curious, about what was up there." - John Glenn, Congressional Gold Medal recipient.
"Well, we must consider ourselves among the most fortunate of all generations, where we have lived at a time when the dream became a reality, when we finally could travel above the atmosphere around the Earth, where we could establish laboratories in space, and do research, and, for the very first time in history, leave human footprints on some place other than Earth." John Glenn, Congressional Gold Medal recipient.
Warm Up Questions
1. What is an award?
2. What is the Congressional Gold Medal?
3. Who are the recipients of this year's Congressional Gold Medal?
Discussion Questions
1. Why does the United States Congress present Congressional Gold Medals?
2. A list of previous recipients can be found here: http://artandhistory.house.gov/house_history/goldMedal.aspx
Are you especially familiar with the work of any of the candidates? Which person inspires you the most and why?
2. Are there any particular people you think deserve a Congressional Gold Medal for their achievements?
Additional Resources
Military's First Flying Women Honored for WWII Service
Dalai Lama Awarded Congressional Gold Medal Despite Chinese Protests
