The Antiquities Act, passed in 1906, empowered the president of the United States with the authority to protect U.S. territories of historic, cultural, or natural significance. First wielded by President Teddy Roosevelt to protect landmarks such as Devil's Tower and Muir Woods, 16 of the last 19 presidents have used it to protect everything from the Statue of Liberty to nearly 500,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean. Last week, President Obama announced a major expansion of the Pacific Remote Islands National Monument, creating the largest marine protected area in the world.
Below are the 16 presidents and some of the national monuments they created.