Oddly enough, the capital of the most powerful state on this planet today is not so many years old. The history of Washington began in 1791; the settlement got its name in honor of the first president of the country, the famous George Washington.
How it all began
The capital of the United States has existed on earth for a little more than two hundred years, it is clear that the city at a certain stage made a fantastic leap forward in its development, since it managed to leave far behind the rest of the American settlements that competed with it.
Archaeological excavations confirm that people (Indians) lived in these places already 4000 years ago. Americans appeared in these territories at the beginning of the 17th century, one of the first called John Smith. In 1662, the first colonialists appeared, in 1751 Georgetown was founded, which rapidly developed thanks to trade and river navigation.
Washington in the 18th century
The city became the capital of the United States almost by accident, since initially Philadelphia was considered the main city, then this status began to pass to other settlements. A decision was required, in 1790 a law was passed on the location of the new capital, according to it, the territories along the Potomac River were determined.
President George Washington personally supervised the planning and development of city blocks, and even agreed that the city began to bear his name. In 1800, the first meeting of the US Congress was held in the new capital.
XX century and modernity
It cannot be said that Washington lived quietly and peacefully, in 1814 (during the Anglo-American War) the British invaders came here and set the city on fire. In the 1840s, neighboring Alexandria was annexed to the urban area. After the Civil War and the liberation of blacks, the population increased at the expense of freed slaves. The end of the 19th century is characterized by the modernization of the city, improvement of infrastructure, the emergence of good roads and new city blocks.
The history of Washington in the twentieth century is inseparable from the life of the planet, becoming the capital of one of the most powerful states in the world, it remains in the spotlight, which, naturally, has its pros and cons.
