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| | [[Image:Washington Monument and WWII memorial.jpg|right|thumb|200px|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]], appointed in 1791 by George Washington, 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 Northwest quadrant is by far the largest, 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> |
| | + | Legally the name of the city is "District of Columbia". <ref> [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=016/llsl016.db&recNum=0454 District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871.] [[Library of Congress]] </ref> |
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| | + | [[Pierre L'Enfant]], appointed in 1791 by George Washington, 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 Northwest quadrant is by far the largest, 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 Southeast and Northeast 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 Southeast and Northeast Quadrants. This river has had problems with pollution. |