Registers structures and artifacts of peerless value under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, dividing them into categories like buildings, fine arts, and historical materials. Europe: Monument Monuments and State Collections
The conflict in National Treasure is driven by the foil between Ben Gates and Ian Howe (Sean Bean). Howe represents the cynical privatization of history. He seeks the treasure for personal enrichment and is willing to destroy historical artifacts—the Declaration itself—to achieve his ends. Gates, conversely, operates under a moral imperative to preserve. National Treasure