In charge of the U.S. Capitol’s construction, in 1856 this Secretary of War vetoed an emancipation symbol atop the dome
The Final Jeopardy clue for Tuesday, September 29, 2026, appeared in the category “Pre-Civil War America” and read: “In charge of the U.S. Capitol’s construction, in 1856 this Secretary of War vetoed an emancipation symbol atop the dome.” The clue points to an episode from the federal career of Jefferson Davis several years before he became president of the Confederacy.
Who Is Jefferson Davis?
The correct response is Jefferson Davis. Davis served as U.S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce from 1853 to 1857, a period that included major work on the expansion of the United States Capitol.
His position brought him into the decision-making surrounding the statue intended to stand atop the new Capitol dome. Sculptor Thomas Crawford submitted a design that included a liberty cap, but Davis objected to the symbolism.
What Was the Emancipation Symbol?
The object Davis rejected was a liberty cap. The symbol had ancient roots and was particularly associated with the freeing of enslaved people.
Over time, the liberty cap became a broader emblem of freedom and appeared frequently in revolutionary imagery. That history made its proposed placement on the Capitol especially significant during the politically charged 1850s.
Why Jefferson Davis Objected
Davis opposed Crawford’s proposed liberty cap because of its connection with emancipation. He argued that the symbol was inappropriate because it suggested freedom being granted to someone who had previously been enslaved.
Following his objection, Crawford revised the design. The liberty cap was removed and replaced with the distinctive helmet worn by the completed figure.
The Statue of Freedom
The finished sculpture became known as the Statue of Freedom. It depicts a female figure holding a sheathed sword, a laurel wreath and a shield of the United States.
Instead of a liberty cap, the statue wears a helmet decorated with stars, feathers and an eagle’s head. The bronze figure was eventually placed atop the Capitol dome in 1863, during the Civil War.
Jefferson Davis Before the Confederacy
Although Davis is now best known for leading the Confederate States, he had previously spent much of his career serving the United States. He attended West Point, served in the Army, fought in the Mexican-American War and represented Mississippi in Congress.
His tenure as Secretary of War was therefore part of a substantial federal career that preceded secession. The Capitol statue controversy is one of the lesser-known episodes from that period.
Philip Reid and the Statue’s Construction
The history of the statue also includes Philip Reid, an enslaved African American craftsman who helped with the difficult process of preparing Crawford’s plaster model for bronze casting.
Reid became free after slavery was abolished in the District of Columbia in 1862. The completed Statue of Freedom was raised over the Capitol the following year.
Why This Final Jeopardy Clue Works
The clue combines political history, architecture and symbolism. The date of 1856 and the office of Secretary of War point toward Jefferson Davis, while the reference to emancipation identifies the controversy over the liberty cap.
The correct response is therefore Jefferson Davis, whose objection changed the appearance of the statue that still crowns the U.S. Capitol today.