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[[Image:WashingtonDC1.gif|thumb|200px|A view of the Washington Monument and United States Capital In Washington D.C]]'''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 with 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>

[[Image:WashingtonDC1.gif|thumb|200px|A view of the Washington Monument and United States Capital In Washington D.C]]'''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 with 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>

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>