Why is our capital city a (D.C.) district of Columbia???

Question

Why is our capital city a (D.C.) district of Columbia???

Answer 1

Because it's a district, not a part of any state unlike it's neighbor to the northeast, Baltimore, MD. Technically all though DC is commonly thought of as a city, it's not. The Washington District of Columbia is even linked in US census comparisons with major US cities, but it is what it is.  

Answer 2

Back in the early days of the republic, a riot broke out in Philadelphia against the Continental Congress in June 1783.  Now in those days, the states were more powerful than the federal government.  And Pennsylvania would not send reinforcement to stop the riot.  The Congress had to flee by boat to nearby New Jersey.  

Congress never forgot this incident and when laying out the constitution made provisions for a federal city where Congress would have control.  Congressmen from southern states, which had paid off their revolutionary war debt, agreed to have the federal government pay off the revolutionary war debt of the northern states if the federal district would be in the south.  That would become the Territory of Columbia which ultimately became the District of Columbia in 1871.

Answer 3

Washington, D.C.  (formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C.) is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790. The City of Washington used to be a separate municipality within the District of Columbia. An Act of Congress in 1871 created a single government for the entire federal territory, effectively merging the City and the District into a single entity.

The authority to establish a federal capital was provided in Article One of the U.S. Constitution, which permits a "District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States". James Madison explained the need for a federal district on January 23, 1788 in the Federalist No. 43, arguing that the national capital needed to be distinct from the states, in order to provide for its own maintenance and safety.[4] An attack on the Congress at Philadelphia in June 1783 by a mob of angry soldiers had emphasized the need for the government to see to its own security.[5] The Constitution, however, does not specify a location for the new capital. In what later became known as the Compromise of 1790, Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson came to an agreement that the federal government would assume war debt carried by the states, on the condition that the new national capital would be located in the South.



It was Pierre Charles L'Enfant's plan for the City of Washington. On July 16, 1790, the Residence Act provided for a new permanent capital to be located on the Potomac River, the exact to be selected by President Washington. As permitted by the U.S. Constitution, the initial shape of the federal district was a diamond, measuring 10 miles (16 km) on each side, totaling 100 square miles (260 km²). Both Maryland and Virginia ceded portions of their territory to form the new capital. A new "federal city" was constructed on the north bank of the Potomac; however, two independent municipalities were already located within the District: the City of Alexandria, founded in 1749;and the City of Georgetown, founded in 1751. On September 9, 1791, the federal city was named in honor of George Washington and the district was named the Territory of Columbia, Columbia being a poetic name for the United States in use at that time. Congress held its first session in Washington on November 17, 1800.

The Organic Act of 1801 officially organized the District of Columbia and placed the entire federal territory, including the cities of Alexandria, Georgetown, and Washington under the exclusive control of Congress. Further, the unincorporated territory within the District was organized into two counties: the County of Washington on the north bank of the Potomac, and the County of Alexandria on the south bank. Following this Act, citizens located in the District were no longer considered residents of Maryland or Virginia, thus ending their representation in Congress.

Answer 4

2 States, Maryland and Virginia gave up territory to form the "District"  This was done to be right in between the Norther half of the Country and The Southern Half, so that the early legislators could get there easily enough.  It was named Columbia, after Christopher Columbus.