The largest single exposed piece of granite in the world is located where?

The Civil War happened decades before any of my grandparents immigrated to America, and--had I lived in that time--I would not have supported the secessionists, however those who fought for the South were as American as any of us and chose to be loyal to their home states rather than to a distant federal government. Many of the Americans who fought as federal troops were also showing loyalty to their states. Robert E. Lee was in many ways a great American and Thomas Jackson was a brilliant strategist. They did not see the institution of slavery as racist and did not see their loyalty to the Confederacy as treason. Times have changed, but there is racism and a lot more slavery in these times than most of us realize. One advantage to winning any war is that the winners are the ones who write the histories of that war. We need to appreciate both sides of this particular war--whose outcome defined America as surely as the Revolutionary War did.

Why does everybody want to turn this site into a political form?

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses S. Grant all owned slaves. Washington was a major slaveholder before, during, and after his presidency. James Buchanan could technically be counted as owning slaves at one point. Buchanan purchased the slaves from his brother and made them his own indentured servants. Lists of slaveholding presidents typically exclude him. Should we remove any monuments to these men? You cannot wipe out history, it happened!

The Black Hills are in South Dakota.

Jason Negus, what does the Black Hills have to do with this question. It is about the largest single piece of exposed granite which is in Stone Mountain, GA and has nothing to do with the Black Hills.

Jason Negus, You are correct. It's history; the shameful history of a racist people who felt they could, in their false sense of racial superiority, kidnap and subjugate people of another race to support their economy. Most who object to the truth of our history, such as you, live in denial. Do you actually think slavery was a good or moral thing and that leaving the union was a patriotic thing to do in order to preserve such an abomination? I believe it's you who needs to "grow a pair" and face the truth of our history. It's not always pretty or something to be proud of, much like our genocide against native Americans and the class warfare going on at present, where millions lose healthcare for the sake of a tax cut for the wealthy. Ours is a great country, but to ignore it's faults means never to correct them and improve life here for everyone. Only when you admit to mistakes can you move on in search of corrections to them. Whether you like the truth or not matters very little; it's still the truth. "Deal with it!"

billyboy915, so, exactly what do you think should be done with a huge hunk of granite? Blow it up? Build a massively high wall around it so no one can see there is this huge hunk of granite? The question is about the largest exposed piece of granite. It happens to have some Confederate people carved on it. Was the Confederacy a good thing? No, it wasn't. It was an a treasonous action aimed at supporting the subjugation of an entire race of people. But people of moral courage and intellect can acknowledge this part of our history existed and use these representations to remind us of our past. If we aren't careful we can end up whitewashing our past in an effort to "reject the values" represented by monuments such as the carvings on Stone Mountain. And when we purge our country of all of them, then it becomes that much easier for those who are even now attempting to rewrite and, in some ways repeat that history. Stone Mountain park is a beautiful place of hiking trails, a lake, museums, festivals, and (unfortunately far too commercialized) family fun. The laser show that is presented on summer evenings has very little to do with the carving. It is a festival of lights, music and special effects. The one segment dedicated to the carvings specifically shows the pain and destruction of the Civil War and ends showing the reuniting of our nation. It is important to reject the attempts to honor anything to do with that part of our history but it is equally important to not purge our nation of reminders of that bygone era. Those who refuse to remember history will allow it to be repeated.

Judging from the number and tone of the comments, Civil War reconstruction was a dismal failure and left a divided nation to this day. The vast majority of Americans know slavery was and is an awful practice. Preaching from a modern pulpit against slavery is self aggrandizing, and especially irritating to those of us who would like to see us all "get over it".

williamrlaughlin, the carving was made nearly a century ago. The people at that time had a different vote of the world. It isn't like we can take an eraser and erase the massive carving. What do you suggest? We build a massive tarp and cover it up? Or perhaps just blow up the entire mountain? You think anything and everything related to the Civil War should be purged from our history? If you had any idea about the culture in the Atlanta area, you would understand how deeplythe Civil Rights movement is rooted in the culture of this area. There is probably nowhere in this country that is more in touch with the realities of not only the horrors of the Confederacy, slavery, the bigotry and its resulting horrors. The KKK, the Civil Rights movement, the ongoing struggle for human rights for all American. It is a deep part of the culture here. And yet they understand the history of Stone Mountain and its carving. And they also understand the way in which that part of the history is addressed offers people insights, connections and it also offers ways of redeeming those horrors with the opportunity to learn, to remember and to understand. You can stand outside the fire and make blanket statements, but these people live in the fire and have for generations. They are the ones who are actually bringing new life from the ashes of the hatred and bigotry of that era. And they ares the ones who understand that significant events, "monuments" and other relics can be used to bring new ways of seeing, and, perhaps most importantly create an ongoing dialogue for generations who, if such things were no longer around, could far too easily be convinced that "it wasn't like that."

Regardless of how you feel about the past of the US, its still the history of our country. There is absolutely nothing you can do to change it and trying to hide it or cover it up will not change anything either.so get over yourselves and go forward instead of dwelling on the past.

Warren Domke, very well said!

Indians have urinated on Mount Rushmore, I'm sure people have urinated on Stone Mountain.

Jason Negus, There most certainly are Black Hill in ND, as well as in SD. The ND Hils have been referred to as the Painted Mountains. They are just beautiful. As are the Hills in SD. Why did you have to disintegrate to name calling and swearing? How many questions have you put forward in the Quizzes?

I've been to Georgia lots of times, but my geographical educations was apparently lacking, because I never even knew about it until years later. I haven't been back since except to Atlanta on business. Bummer! Sounds like a great site to see!

George Oliver Prince, OH! I so agree! This site is about Trivia, History, Science, etc. History, by it's very NATURE can NOT be actually re-written. Although, as the old saying goes, it is written by the Victors, it is in truth a living breathing thing. And as such the interconnection with other studies may "rewrite" history, but does not change it. Archaeology, Anthropology and such studies are constantly ADDING to the historical record. This is erroneously referred to as "rewriting" history. This misnomer has caused such confusion that now certain people ACTUALLY want to REWRITE history to suit their own theories and current mindset.

my description says nothing about the Black Hills.

Easy one for me! I spent many childhood summers in that area, and have climbed Stone Mountain quite a few times.

I've visited stone mountain once, and thought it was beautiful. Until this question popped up, didn't think about it being a problem, but these times, I'm sure some one will call it offensive and want to destroy it. It's a shame, great place to take your family and I wouldn't mind visiting it again myself.

I won't be breaking any speed records to get there.

Been there several times Love it ❤️❤️

Sandi Niemeyer, Hitler and Mussolini are history, too. You should carve a massive sculpture of Hitler in your backyard. It's history.

Jason Negus and Sandi Niemeyer, yes, it's the history of traitors to this country. We should remember these treasonous enemies of our nation for a long time to come. And Jason, the fact that the Black Hills are nowhere near North Dakota, should clue you in that it is an incorrect answer; it doesn't have to be a fact to be a wrong answer.

Got it.

Dena Barrett, you wrote the question. He's just saying the Black Hills are in South Dakota, not North Dakota like one of the answers.

Jason Negus, Trick answers?