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Landmarks

Landmarks and monuments, the physical record of human civilization, include spectacular structures like the Eiffel Tower, Mount Rushmore, the Panama Canal, the Brooklyn Bridge and more.

Find out what happened on December 31 in this video of This Day in History. On this day, Thomas Edison gave the first demonstration of his newly developed lamp in 1879. President Harry Truman also gave an important message. Truman told the United States that the hostilities of the Second World War had come to an end. On December 31, 2004, the world saw the unveiling of the new tallest building, the Burj Dubai. Most importantly, in 1999 the United States gave control over the Panama Canal to Panama. The construction of the canal cost the United States $350 million and 30,000 lives. However, Panamanian nationalists wanted their nation in control of it. This transaction strengthened the relations between the United States and Latin America.

Panama Canal

HISTORY: The Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge

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Arlington National Cemetery

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Grand Canyon

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George Washington's Mount Vernon

World Trade Center, Twin Towers

World Trade Center

HISTORY: The Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge

HISTORY: The Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

HISTORY: Monticello

Monticello

Niagra Falls at Night

Niagara Falls

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Spindletop

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White House

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Eiffel Tower

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Los Angeles Aqueduct

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Serpent Mound

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Home Insurance Building

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Angkor Wat

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: A general view of the Woolworth Building on November 1, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Hider/Getty Images)

Woolworth Building

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George Waring

Videos

Tugboats guide ships many times their size in and out of the Panama Canal.
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Panama Canal Tugboats

History Shorts: How the Statue of Liberty Got Across the Atlantic
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How the Statue of Liberty Got Across the Atlantic

How a Camping Trip Created our National Parks
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How a Camping Trip Created our National Parks

History Shorts: The Nazis Plot to Blow Up Hoover Dam
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The Nazis Plot to Blow Up Hoover Dam

History Shorts: The Washington Monument Was Almost Never Finished
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The Washington Monument Was Almost Never Finished

History Shorts: How Devil's Tower Got its Name
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How Devil's Tower Got its Name