US Territory

District of Columbia

The District of Columbia was established as the capital of the United States after President George Washington selected the site along the Potomac River. Article One, Section 8, of the United States Constitution places the District under the exclusive legislation of Congress, and it is not a state. The city came under attack during the War of 1812, requiring reconstruction of public buildings including the White House and the United States Capitol. The Twenty-third Amendment, ratified in 1961, gave DC three electoral votes, and the 1973 District of Columbia Home Rule Act provided greater local governance.

Admitted as
District of Columbia — not a state; remains under exclusive legislation of Congress
Historic sites
699
Military engagements
3

Pre-contact era

The source text does not provide information about pre-contact indigenous peoples of the District of Columbia area. The primary article begins with the site selection by President George Washington along the Potomac River, without describing prior indigenous habitation.

Colonial history

The source text does not explicitly detail the British colonial period for DC; it begins its narrative with the site's selection by President George Washington for the U.S. capital. The British colonial era is inferred from DC's location within the original colonies.

Article One, Section 8, of the United States Constitution places the District, which is not a state, under the exclusive legislation of Congress. The 1973 District of Columbia Home Rule Act provided the local government more control of affairs, including direct election of the city council and mayor.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Explore District of Columbia records

699
National Register historic sites
National Register listings ›
3
Military engagements
Military history records ›
2
Indigenous groups
Heritage records ›
19
Notable figures
Born in District of Columbia ›
19
Colonial-era events
1492 to early statehood ›
District of Columbia counties
Census population history ›
Sources

State history content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Historic sites data: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

About District of Columbia

When did District of Columbia become a state?
District of Columbia is a US territory, not a state.
What European powers colonized District of Columbia?
The territory that became District of Columbia passed through several colonial periods. The source text does not explicitly detail the British colonial period for DC; it begins its narrative with the site's selection by President George Washington for the U.S. capital. The British colonial era is inferred from DC's location within the original colonies. Article One, Section 8, of the United States Constitution places the District, which is not a state, under the exclusive legislation
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