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[[Image:Washington Monument and WWII memorial.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The WWII memorial and Washington Monument]]  

[[Image:Washington Monument and WWII memorial.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The WWII memorial and Washington Monument]]  

'''Washington, D.C.''', also known as the '''District of Columbia''', since 1800 has been the capital of the [[United States]] <ref>http://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_item/Nine_Capitals_of_the_United_States.htm</ref> Pierre L'Enfant designed much of the city, including the city's interesting quadrant formation. The city is divided into four quadrants, which meet at a central point at the [[United States Capitol]]. The Northwestern quadrant is by far the largest quadrant, and locations in this quadrant include the [[White House]], Ford's Theater (where [[Abraham Lincoln]] was assassinated in 1865), the National Zoo, and a number of the Smithsonian Museums. L'Enfant was fired over a dispute involving [[Thomas Jefferson]] before the city's design was completed. <ref>http://www.exploredc.org/index.php?id=3</ref>

'''Washington, D.C.''', also known as the '''District of Columbia''', since 1800 has been the capital of the [[United States]] <ref>http://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_item/Nine_Capitals_of_the_United_States.htm</ref> Pierre L'Enfant designed much of the city, including the city's interesting quadrant formation. The city is divided into four quadrants, which meet at a central point at the [[United States Capitol]]. The Northwestern quadrant is by far the largest quadrant, and locations in this quadrant include the [[White House]], Ford's Theater (where [[Abraham Lincoln]] was assassinated in 1865), the National Zoo, and a number of the Smithsonian Museums. L'Enfant was fired over a dispute involving [[Thomas Jefferson]] before the city's design was completed. <ref>http://www.exploredc.org/index.php?id=3</ref>

In 1814, the British army attacked the city as a part of the [[War of 1812]] and burned a number of public buildings in the city, including the [[White House]]. First Lady [[Dolly Madison]] famously saved a portrait of [[George Washington]] from the White House before the building was burned. <ref>http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/washingtonsack.htm</ref>

In 1814, the British army attacked the city as a part of the [[War of 1812]] and burned a number of public buildings in the city, including the [[White House]]. First Lady [[Dolly Madison]] famously saved a portrait of [[George Washington]] from the White House before the building was burned. <ref>http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/washingtonsack.htm</ref>

The city is located along the [[Potomac River]]. The Anacostia River branches off this, and runs through parts of the Southeastern and Northeastern Quadrants. This river has had problems with pollution.

The city is located along the [[Potomac River]]. The Anacostia River branches off this, and runs through parts of the Southeastern and Northeastern Quadrants. This river has had problems with pollution.

==Constitutional and Legal Issues==

==Constitutional and Legal Issues==

Article I of the Constitution specifies that [[Congress]] has exclusive legislative jurisdiction over the District of Columbia.<ref>http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section8</ref>  In 1973, Congress passed the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, [[P.L.]] 93-198 which proposed a charter that delegated legislative authority to a locally-elected [[mayor]] and [[Council of the District of Columbia|council]]; the charter was approved by local referendum in 1974.<ref>http://government.westlaw.com/linkedslice/default.asp?rs=gvt1.0&vr=2.0&sp=dcc-1000</ref><ref>http://www.narpac.org/ITXICE.HTM</ref>

Article I of the Constitution specifies that [[Congress]] has exclusive legislative jurisdiction over the District of Columbia.<ref>http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section8</ref>  In 1973, Congress passed the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, [[P.L.]] 93-198 which proposed a charter that delegated legislative authority to a locally-elected [[mayor]] and [[Council of the District of Columbia|council]]; the charter was approved by local referendum in 1974.<ref>http://government.westlaw.com/linkedslice/default.asp?rs=gvt1.0&vr=2.0&sp=dcc-1000</ref><ref>http://www.narpac.org/ITXICE.HTM</ref>

 

====Controversies and disputes====

====Controversies and disputes====

On March 9, 2007, a [[U.S. Court of Appeals]] struck down Washington, D.C.'s ban on private [[handgun]] possession as an infringement on the [[Second Amendment]], which guarantees the right of individual citizens to keep and bear firearms.  The sole dissenting judge dissented because she held that the District of Columbia is not a [[state]] and therefore the [[Second Amendment]] does not apply within the District of Columbia.  Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban was one of the most restrictive [[gun control]] laws in the nation.  <ref>http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-03-09T223851Z_01_N09246717_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-GUNS-RULING.xml&src=rss</ref>

On March 9, 2007, a [[U.S. Court of Appeals]] struck down Washington, D.C.'s ban on private [[handgun]] possession as an infringement on the [[Second Amendment]], which guarantees the right of individual citizens to keep and bear firearms.  The sole dissenting judge dissented because she held that the District of Columbia is not a [[state]] and therefore the [[Second Amendment]] does not apply within the District of Columbia.  Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban was one of the most restrictive [[gun control]] laws in the nation.  <ref>http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-03-09T223851Z_01_N09246717_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-GUNS-RULING.xml&src=rss</ref>