In the United States, a National Monument is primarily declared through the Antiquities Act of 1906, which grants the President the authority to designate federal lands as protected landmarks via an executive order. This power was intended to allow for the swift protection of "historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest." Unlike National Parks, which require an act of Congress to be established, a National Monument can be created almost instantly by the President's signature. The act specifies that the reserved area should be "confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected." While the President has the sole authority to declare them, the management of these sites is usually delegated to the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or the U.S. Forest Service. Over the years, this executive power has been used by almost every president to protect millions of acres of wilderness and history. While Congress can also create national monuments through legislation, the presidential proclamation remains the most common and historically significant method of establishing these vital cultural and natural safeguards.