Washington DC

Washington DC is the capital city of the United States. It sits on the east coast of the country, along the Potomac River, between the states of Maryland and Virginia. The letters "DC" stand for District of Columbia. About 700,000 people live there, and millions more visit each year. It is home to the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court.

Washington DC is not part of any state. In 1790, the new country's leaders decided the capital should stand on its own land, so no single state would hold extra power over the government. Maryland and Virginia each gave up some land to create a special district. The city was named after George Washington, the first president, who helped choose the spot. A French-born engineer named Pierre L'Enfant designed the street plan, with wide avenues spreading out like spokes from key buildings.

The center of the city is a long, grassy park called the National Mall. It stretches almost two miles from the United States Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. That is about 35 football fields in a row. Along the Mall stand huge memorials to past presidents, to soldiers from many wars, and to leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. The Washington Monument rises from the middle. At 555 feet, it was the tallest building in the world when it was finished in 1884.

The city is also packed with museums. The Smithsonian is a group of 21 museums and a zoo, and most of them are free to enter. You can see the actual flag that flew over Fort McHenry in the War of 1812, the Wright brothers' first airplane, and moon rocks brought back by astronauts, all in one afternoon.

Life in Washington DC can feel unusual. People who live there pay federal taxes like everyone else, but they have no voting members in Congress. The city's license plates say "Taxation Without Representation" in protest. Some people want DC to become the 51st state. Others think the Constitution does not allow it. The debate has gone on for decades and is still unsettled.

Washington DC is also a city where real people go to school, work, and raise families. Roughly half of its residents are Black, and the city has a long history of African American art, music, and leadership. A jazz musician named Duke Ellington grew up there. Beyond the marble monuments and news cameras, it is simply one of the most interesting cities in America.