Don’t forget Names, terms and dates and Quizlet.
Washington D.C. is neither a state, nor a city, it is a federal republic. It was George Washington’s idea to choose a capital city that is somewhere in the middle of the territory of the 13 original colonies. Both Maryland and Virginia gave some land on their borders and Washington, D.C. was formed.
Today the city’s population is around 700,000, but thanks to the large number of tourists the capital city is always on the move.
D.C., nicknamed ‘Our Nation’s Capital’ is the center of / home of
- important government buildings, including the Capitol, where the Senate and the House of Representatives meet (center of the Legislation);
- the White House, where the president lives and works (center of the Executive Branch);
- the Supreme Court Building, where many important court rulings are made (Judicial Branch);
- the U.S. Armed Forces (the Pentagon, home to offices and headquarters of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine and the Coast Guard);
- landmarks including the Washington Monument, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial;
- the world’s largest museum, the Smithsonian Institution (19 museums altogether including the National Zoo, galleries, the National Air and Space museum etc.);
- Washington, D.C., is bordered on the west by the Potomac River, which divides D.C. from Virginia. The Anacostia River runs through its east side.
(D.C. is not a center for financial matters since the Stock Exchange is in Wall Street, New York City. Culture is also hosted by “the Big Apple” with The Broadway where the greatest theaters are found.)
Washington, D.C. has several islands in the Potomac River, like Theodore Roosevelt Island, a popular place visited by local citizens. There’s Kingman Island, a man-made island in the Anacostia River which runs through the D.C.’s east side.
Rock Creek Park has over 32 miles of hiking trails, horseback riding, and is home to deer, coyotes, foxes and raccoons. In Washington, D.C., bald eagles are often seen. In its parks and forests, numerous mammals can be found such as opossums, groundhogs, flying squirrels or amphibians like toads, bullfrogs, moreover, venomous copperhead snakes can be seen.
GREAT BRITANNIA 