Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is one of the most important cities in the United States. It is the seat of the country’s government and an epicenter of some of the territory’s well-known historical events.
The State of Maryland borders the Columbia District to the North, East, and West, and Virginia borders the District on the south bank of the Potomac River.
In 1790, the United States Congress established 260 square kilometers that would serve as the federal government’s permanent seat.
The new area’s location was centralized between the east coast states and was approximately 90 miles inland from the Atlantic to land from Maryland and Virginia.
Moreover, In the mid-1800s, the land south of the Potomac River ceded by Virginia mingled in the state, reducing the District’s present size.
However, after the American Civil War (1861-1865), Washington’s city got expansion beyond its initial planned borders and was no longer legally distinguishable from the Columbia District.
Washington remains a territory, and a locally elected mayor governs and city council since 1974, over which Congress retains veto power.
The Washington metropolitan area covers nearly 10,360 square kilometers.
And also, it includes ten counties, 5 in Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George, Frederick, Charles, and Calvert) and 5 in Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Stafford, and Prince William).
History of Washington D.C.
- U.S. Capital Washington D.C. was founded on July 16, 1790, with the District of Columbia’s name when George Washington was the country’s president.
- It is on the Potomac River’s North Bankside at the river’s headland, the transition point between river transportation and land.
- The history of Washington is full of war and conflict. During the Anglo-American war (in the 18th century), the British set on fire.
- However, it was revenge for looting inflicted by the Americans in York (today, Toronto).
- Throughout that century, the British tried to gain control of the city without success.
- The 20th and 21st centuries were significant for the growth of the city.
- After the Great Depression, important companies were established in Washington willing to lift the region’s economy and the country.
- Moreover, the demographic and economic growth of this period was surprising, a prestige that it still retains and that has led it to become one of the most important tourist spots in the country.
Character of the Washington D.C. city
- U.S. Capital Washington D.C. is an extraordinary city with multiple personalities.
It is a federal functioning town, an international metropolis, a picturesque tourist destination. - It is an incomparable treasure trove of the country’s history and artifacts, and a cosmopolitan center that maintains a neighboring small-town vibe.
- However, Washington’s role as the United States capital often overshadows vibrant local history and complex political, economic, and social problems.
- About half of Washington’s land is with the United States government, which pays no taxes. Several thousand people in the D.C. metropolitan area work for the federal government.
- In the latter half of the 20th century, the middle class “suburban flight” contributed to the loss of more than a quarter of the city’s population.
- As new jobs arose in Maryland and Virginia, particularly in the high-tech industries, the suburbs’ population grew to 50 percent per decade.
- In the first period of the 21st century, Washington’s population began to grow as younger workers moved to revitalized neighborhoods.
- However, despite these population changes, the economies of the District and nearby Maryland and Virginia remain interdependent.
Climate of the Washington D.C. city
- U.S. Capital Washington D.C. has temperate weather with high humidity. Precipitation is even throughout the time and averages between 75 and 100 mm per month.
- Winters are mostly not dry, and extreme temperatures and heavy snowfall are not typical. Light, rarely wet snow often melts quickly, as average daytime temperatures in winter are around 30 degrees (about 2 ° C).
- However, freezing temperatures overnight can quickly turn melted snow into ice.
- Short periods of high temperatures are present in summer, often accompanied by dense humidity.
- Average daytime summer temperatures are in the mid-1970s (about 24 ° C), but peak temperatures above 100 ° F (about 39 ° C) can occur.
- And also, Spring and fall are pleasantly mild and longer than summer and winter.
What was the first capital of the United States?
New York
- New York City was the United States’ first capital when ratified the Constitution.
- George Washington became the first president of the United States from the Old City Hall’s balcony.
- Washington D.C is not one of the 50 states. Congress established the federal District in 1790 from lands in the states of Maryland and Virginia.
- It took back the part of Virginia in 1846, leaving behind a district of 177 square kilometers.
- Washington is the United States capital because the Residency Act of July 16, 1790, incorporated the nation’s capital into Washington to appease slave-friendly states who feared that means in the north would be too sympathetic to abolitionists.
- The political center of the U.S.A. Washington got its name after the first U.S. President, George Washington. D.C. stands for “District of Columbia.”
- However, it consisted of a stretch of Virginia south of the Potomac River and a Maryland stretch north of the Potomac River.
Who built U.S.A. Capital Washington D.C.?
(Peter) Charles L’Enfant
- Washington, DC is a planned city.
- However, in 1791, President Washington commissioned French-born architect and urban planner Pierre (Peter) Charles L’Enfant to design the new capital.
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