NIE: Learning about the US Capitol
Next month, the United States will celebrate its 241st birthday. Celebrations will take place all over the country, but the biggest will be in the capital city of Washington, D.C.
Washington is the home of the White House (where the president lives), the Capitol building (where Congress meets) and many other important government buildings and memorials. It’s a great place to learn about this country’s history. But did you know that it’s actually the ninth U.S. city to serve as the capital?
PENNSYLVANIA
As the city where the Founding Fathers declared independence, Philadelphia was a natural choice for the first U.S. capital. But Philadelphia wasn’t the only Pennsylvania city where governmental leaders met. In the late summer of 1777, when the British were headed toward Philadelphia, the Continental Congress (the leaders of the 13 colonies) met for one day in Lancaster, then moved to York for nine months.
NEW JERSEY
For several months in 1873, Congress met in Princeton. By then, the Revolutionary War was over, so they weren’t scared of the British attacking, but they were trying to get away from someone — soldiers who wanted payment for fighting in the war. They returned to the state, meeting in Trenton for a short time in 1874.
MARYLAND
After leaving Princeton, Congress moved to Annapolis. The building where they met is still in use by the Maryland state government. The city of Baltimore also served as a U.S. capital during the war, when Philadelphia wasn’t safe.
NEW YORK
Interestingly enough, the city named for our first president is not where the man himself became president. George Washington was elected and had his inauguration in New York City. Federal Hall, where Congress met for four years, still stands today, with a statue of Washington out front.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
In 1790, Congress decided to build a permanent capital city along the Potomac River. President Washington chose a spot of land between Maryland and Virginia that was claimed by neither state. Originally called the Territory of Columbia (for Christopher Columbus), it was later renamed for Washington and became the District of Columbia. Congress met there for the first time in 1800, the year after Washington died.