Essay On Washington City

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Washington D.C: Our Nation’s Capital

Although the entire world is familiar with the City of Washington as the United State’s capital, the city was nonexistent when we became a nation in 1789. Thanks to the brilliant design of the French born engineer, Pierre Charles L’Enfant and his assistants Benjamin Banneker and Andrew Ellicot, our capital city that was once a swamp now is beautiful with many different parks, gardens trees, tall buildings and wide avenues.
Washington, District of Columbia named after Christopher Columbus, has played a unique role in the wars of our nation and has been dramatically affected by their awesome events. The battles, conflicts and politics of war have forever changed America. During the War of 1812, the British …show more content…

The permanent form of government that DC would take was undecided. In the early 1800’s the federal district consisted of five separate units: Washington City, Washington County, Georgetown on the Maryland side of the Potomac river; and Alexandria and the County of Alexandria on the Virginia side of the river.
Citizens felt that Washington City’s no self-government laws violated basic republican principles. An existing bill from 1800 was revised and provided a territorial legislature and partial home rule, citizens were still not satisfied. By 1802 Congress proposed a plan to create a local government without home rule. That same year citizens of Washington City petitioned for their own municipal charter. The first city charter granted by Congress provided the city government limited home rule. This consisted of the government having only some power over its own affairs. Limited home rule gave citizens the right to vote and elected a city council. The city’s mayor could only be appointed by the president however. The council could make laws and levy a tax or real estate to pay for any city services it might provide only with the approval of the mayor. “Taxation without representation” became a popular complaint. Residents believed that they should have a vote in Congress if the have to pay federal taxes. Washington DC’s first mayor Robert Brent, was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802. DC’s current president Anthony A. Williams was elected by voters in

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