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Washington, D.C.
Official Song
Official Bird
Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Institutions
The capitol
Famous cities
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Washington, D.C.



Facts from history

New York City was the first capital of the United States once the Constitution was ratified. George Washington took the oath of office to become the first President of the United States from the balcony of the old City Hall.

One of the issues the President had to deal with was a permanent location for the country’s seat of government. As part of a compromise, it was decided that the capital would move to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1791 for ten years and then to a suitable permanent location on the Potomac River. Washington chose an area that included land from the states of Maryland and Virginia. At this time the area was primarily farm and marsh lands. Congress was scheduled to meet in the new capital on the first Monday in December 1800.

Pierre Charles L’Enfant, the French architect, was hired to design the "Federal City." On June 11, 1800, the capital of the United States had a permanent home in Washington, D.C.

The capital today




Postal Abbreviation – DC

Area - 68.25 square miles (176.75 square km)

Population - 572,059

Major Industry - government

Major Rivers - Potomac River, Anacostia River

Highest Point - Tenleytown - 410 feet (125 m) above sea level

Bordering States - Virginia, Maryland

Origin of the Name Washington, District of Columbia - The name Washington was to honor the first president of the USA, George Washington. The name Columbia is in reference to Christopher Columbus.

Nickname - D.C.

Official Motto - "Justia Omnibus" - Justice for All

Official Song - The Star-Spangled Banner, words by Francis Scott Key


Washington, D.C. Symbols and Emblems

Flag

The flag of Washington, D.C., was adopted in 1938. Since Washington, D.C., had no official flag, a commission was formed in 1920 to find a design. Headed by A. E. Dubois, the final design was chosen on October 15, 1938. The design was based on the shield from George Washington's family's coat of arms.

Official Bird - Wood thrush

Official Flower - American beauty rose

Official Tree - Scarlet Oak


District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) is the capital city of the USA. The White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and many other government buildings are located in Washington, D.C. The first President to live in Washington D.C. was John Adams; his family moved there in 1800.

The city is commonly referred to as D.C., the District, or simply Washington. Historically, it was called the Federal City or Washington City. To avoid confusion with the state of Washington, located in the Pacific Northwest, the city is often called simply D.C..

The centers of all three branches of the U.S. federal government are in the District. It also serves as the headquarters for the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, and other national and international institutions. Washington is the frequent location of political demonstrations and protests, large and small, particularly on the National Mall. Furthermore, Washington is a popular destination for tourists, the site of numerous national landmarks and monuments. It is a major American cultural center, with a number of important museums, galleries, performing arts centers and institutions, and native music scenes.

The District has three major natural flowing streams: the Potomac River, the Anacostia River and Rock Creek. The Anacostia River and Rock Creek are tributaries of the Potomac River. Geographical features of Washington, D.C. include Theodore Roosevelt Island, Columbia Island, the Three Sisters Islands and Hains Point.


Landmarks

Among other attractive buildings are the embassies and legations of many foreign countries, many of them lining “Embassy Row” on Massachusetts Ave. The larger of the city’s fine parks are West Potomac Park, East Potomac Park, Rock Creek Park.    

Besides the Capitol and the White House, other important government buildings and places of historic interest include the Senate and House of Representatives office buildings, the Supreme Court Building, the Pentagon (in Virginia), the Federal Bureau of Investigation building, the Library of Congress, the National Archives Building, Constitution Hall, the Ronald Reagan Building, The Watergate apartment complex, the State Department (“Foggy Bottom”), and the headquarters of the World Bank. Ford’s Theatre, where Lincoln was shot, has been restored. In 1974 the Admiral’s House at the U.S. Naval Observatory became the official residence of the vice president. Of historic interest is Fort Washington (built 1809, destroyed 1814, rebuilt by 1824).   

Best known of the city’s many statues and monuments are the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, with its reflecting pool; the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial; the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; the Korean War Veterans Memorial; the World War II Memorial; and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Among Washington’s famous churches are Washington National Cathedral (Episcopal), and the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States. The city also contains Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, the home to major-league baseball and formerly to football.

The Arlington Memorial Bridge across the Potomac connects the capital with Arlington National Cemetery. Also in Arlington is the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, one of the largest statues ever cast in bronze. In the Potomac itself lies Theodore Roosevelt Island, thickly wooded and with many foot trails.  


Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Institutions

The city’s many institutions of higher education include American Univ., the National Defense College, the Catholic Univ. of America, Georgetown Univ., George Washington Univ., Howard Univ., and the Univ. of the District of Columbia. Among many cultural attractions are the National Gallery of Art, the Freer Gallery of Art, and the other centers under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; the Corcoran Gallery of Art; the Phillips Collection; and the Folger Shakespeare Library. Major visitor draws on the Mall include the National Air and Space Museum and the Holocaust Museum.

The U.S. Naval Observatory, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, the Smithsonian Institution, the Brookings Institution, the National Institutes of Health, and the Carnegie Institution of Washington are among the institutions dedicated to scientific research and education. Also in Washington are Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including the Army Medical School and Walter Reed Army Hospital, and the U.S. Soldiers Home (1851). Nearby are the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, Md.) and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture research center (Beltsville, Md.)  


THE CAPITOL

The United States Congress works in the Capitol building. Visitors can watch members of Congress work on laws. There is a statue on top of the Capitol. It is the goddess of Freedom. When Congress meets, the statue has a light. Today, the Capitol has 540 rooms. It has restaurants, kitchens, post offices, a barbershop, and a prayer room. Visitors can see many of these rooms. They can also see hundreds of paintings and works of art in the Capitol. The House of Representatives and the Senate have offices in another building. Underground trains go from their office building to the Capitol.

Vocabulary notes

Ratify – одобрять, утверждать

take the oath - присягать

marsh - болото

hire - нанимать

bordering - граничащий

origin - происхождение

honor - честь

motto - девиз

wood thrush - лесной дрозд

confusion - путаница

headquarters - штаб

destination – место пребывания

particularly – в особенности

national landmarks – национальные достопримечательности

tributary – платящий дань

embassy - посольство

legation - представительство

Federal Bureau of Investigation - ФБР

Restore - восстанавливать

Residence – место проживания

Trail - след

Auspices – доброе предзнаменование

holocaust - самопожертвование

dedicate - посвящать

barbershop – парикмахерская (мужская)

cast - отливать

goddess - богиня

Famous cities


25 biggest cities population


1 — New York, New York........................7,333,253

2 — Los Angeles, California.....................3,448,613

3 — Chicago, Illinois................................2,731,743

4 — Houston, Texas.................................l,702,086

5 — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania..........…..l,524,249

6 — San Diego, California.......................!,151,977

7—Phoenix, Arizona......................…......1,048,949

8—Dallas, Texas...................................... 1,022,830

9 — San Antonio, Texas............................. 998,905

10 — Detroit, Michigan.............................. 992,038

11 — San Jose, California........................... 816,884

12 — Indianapolis, Indiana........................ 752,279

13 — San Francisco, California.................. 734,676

14 — Baltimore, Maryland......................... 702,979

15 — Jacksonville, Florida.......................... 665,070

16 — Columbus, Ohio................................ 635,913

17 — Milwaukee, Wisconsin...................... 617,044

18 — Memphis, Tennessee......................... 614,289

19 — El Paso, Texas..................................... 579,307

20 — Washington, D.C............................... 567,094

21 — Boston, Massachusetts...................... 547,725

22 — Seattle, Washington........................... 520,947

23—Austin, Texas...................................... 514,013

24 — Nashville, Tennessee.......................... 504,505

25 — Denver, Colorado.............................. 493,559


The most well-known cities