(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)WASHINGTON DC (cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43) THE NATION’S CAPITAL Washington DC is the capital of the United States It is not an American state Instead it is a place called a federal district It has been the home of the United States government since 1800 Thousands of people employed by the government work in Washington DC or in neighboring Maryland and Virginia But there is more to Washington DC than just the government It is a beautiful city filled with stone monuments and historic places to visit There are also tree-lined neighborhoods mouth-watering ethnic restaurants world-class museums art galleries and stadiums filled with sports fans Washington DC is nicknamed DC or the District It is named after George Washington the nation’s first president The DC part stands for District of Columbia Columbia was a popular poetic name for the United States in the 1700s and 1800s The word refers to Christopher Columbus the European explorer who sailed to North America in 1492 A statue of George Washington in Washington DC He was leader of the Continental Army and America’s first president The city is named for him 4 WASHINGTON DC
(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)WASHINGTON DC (cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43) QUICK FACTS Name Washington is named after President George Washington District of Columbia is named after Christopher Columbus Date of Creation Founded on July 16 1790 The United States government officially moved to the city in 1800 Population 672,228 Area Total Land and Water 68 square miles 176 sq km Nicknames DC or the District Motto Justitia omnibus Justice To All Official Bird Wood Thrush 6 WASHINGTON DC
(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:3)(cid:43) Official Flower American Beauty Rose Official Tree Scarlet Oak (cid:33)(cid:77)(cid:69)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:67)(cid:65)(cid:78)(cid:0)(cid:34)(cid:69)(cid:65)(cid:85)(cid:84)(cid:89)(cid:0)(cid:50)(cid:79)(cid:83)(cid:69) Official Song The Star-Spangled Banner Highest Point Reno Reservoir in Tenleytown 410 feet 125 m Lowest Point Potomac River 1 foot 3 m (cid:51)(cid:67)(cid:65)(cid:82)(cid:76)(cid:69)(cid:84)(cid:0)(cid:47)(cid:65)(cid:75) Average July High Temperature 88 F 31 C Record High Temperature 106 F 41 C on July 20 1930 Average January Low Temperature 24 F 4 C Record Low Temperature 15 F 26 C on February 11 1899 (cid:48)(cid:79)(cid:84)(cid:79)(cid:77)(cid:65)(cid:67)(cid:0)(cid:50)(cid:73)(cid:86)(cid:69)(cid:82) Average Annual Precipitation 41 inches 104 cm Number of U S Senators 0 Number of U S Representatives 0 U S Postal Service Abbreviation DC QUICK FACTS 7
