Why is Washington, DC the nations capital?
Many cities, including Philadelphia, served as nation’s capital between 1776 and 1800. After much debate and compromise (not unlike Congress today), Congress passed a law in 1790 giving President George Washington the power to select the permanent location for the nation’s capital. Borrowing land from the states of Maryland (on the North) and Virginia (on the South), he chose a ten square mile tract of land surrounding the Potomac River. This location’s status as the national capital became incorporated in June of 1801. Where did Washington, DC get its name? Many names were considered for the city. President Washington wanted to call it “the Federal City”. The city’s commissioners proposed that the city proper should be the “City of Washington,” in honor of the president, and the surrounding areas should be called the “Territory of Columbia.” They chose “Columbia” in honor of a post-Revolutionary War song, where “America” was referred to as “Columbia” (the feminine form of Christopher
