Symbols are things that represent ideas, places, or people. The American flag is a symbol of the United States and of patriotism. Places that symbolize, or represent, the United States include Mount Rushmore, the U.S. Capitol, and Ellis Island.

Famous sites in your state can symbolize your pride in where you live. For example, the people of Nebraska have Chimney Rock, a 300-foot-tall rock tower in the western part of the state. It is the symbol of Nebraska, and it is the image Nebraskans chose to include on their state quarter.

In this lesson, you will meet a young girl named Keely who loves a mountain near her home. Keely is part Nipmuc. The Nipmucs are a Native American tribe that once lived in central Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, and northern Rhode Island. You will learn why the mountain is symbolic for Keely, and how it affects her sense of her own identity.