National capital

Capital Cities• Philadelphia

– Capitol during Revolution• Independence Hall

– Second capital of US,1790

• New York– First US Capital– Sept 13, 1788– Washington inaugurated at

Federal Hall

Washington DC• Site was chosen by

Washington• 100 square miles at the

start• Along Potomac and

Anacostia Rivers; land from Virginia and Maryland

• Part of deal to pay off national debt (Compromise of 1790)

• Not part of any state

Pierre Charles L’Enfant

• Born in France, fought in American Revolution

• Appointed by Washington to plan a federal city

• Dismissed after several conflicts with Washington– City plan continued by Andrew

Ellicott

• Grid design with the center at Capitol building

• Covers 67 miles; 4 quadrants (NW, NE, SE, SW)

• Numbered streets run north and south; lettered streets run east and west; states named avenues run diagonal and meet at circles

Washington DC• Became capital on February 27,

1801• Includes Georgetown (1751) and

Alexandria (1749)• Burned by British in 1814• Downtown area – called the

National Mall – created in 1901

• No voting rights in Congress• Granted 3 electoral votes in

1961

The Sights

• National Mall– The ‘nation’s front lawn’– Covered with American Elms

and Japanese Cherry Trees– One of most heavily visited

and photographed sites in world

Smithsonian Museums• James Smithson

– 1829, left collection of minerals, books and money to US to create a museum

– 1855, collection first shown at the Castle • 18 different museums and a

zoo• Spread throughout the

District, most along the National Mall

• Museum of American History– Opened in 1964– Purpose is to ‘collect,

care for and study objects that reflect experiences of American people’

• National Museum of Natural History– Contains over 120

million plants, animals, rocks, gems and artifacts

Monuments & Memorials• Lincoln Memorial

– Designed as a Greek temple with 36 columns, one for each state at the time of his death

– Gettysburg Address and 2nd Inaugural Address inscribed inside

• FDR Memorial– 4 outdoors rooms –

one each for 4 terms in office

– Statue of his wife Eleanor Roosevelt

• Vietnam War Memorial– 3 separate sections

• The WALL– Names of 57,939

names of those killed or missing

• 3 Servicemen statue• Women in Service

statue

• Korean War Memorial– 19 statues reflect in

granite wall etched with support personnel

– Statues represent each branch of service

White House

• Contest to design the ‘president’s house’

• James Hoban won• Construction began in

Oct 1792

Has no front or back; only North and South frontsPresident is home if flag is flyingSnipers on top of roof 24/7

Burned in 1814 by British132 rooms, 35 bathrooms412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, 3 elevators5 full time chefs, tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theatre and bowling lanes

US Capitol Building• Contest to design in 1793• Won by Dr. William Thorton• Burned in August, 1814 by

British

• Holds the meeting chambers of House of Representatives and Senate

• A focal point of Capitol Hill and the National Mall

• Hall of Statues– 2 statues from each state– Utah

• Brigham Young• Philo T. Farnsworth

National Archives• Contains original Declaration

of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights

• Also contains other important government papers

• Sometimes closed for student research

Universities

• Georgetown University– Well-known schools for

International Relations– Mascot is Hoya

• George Washington University– 2 campuses: Foggy Bottom

and Mount Vernon– One of the most expensive,

exclusive small universities in country

• Verizon Center– Located in Chinatown– DC is home to 5 majour

professional mens teams and 2 womens teams

• Wizards and Capitals• Mystics

• Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

• International Spy Museum– history of espionage and spies

in real-world practice and in popular culture

• Ford’s Theatre– Site of Lincoln’s 1865

assassination

• Pentagon– Headquarters of US

Dept of Defense– 5 sides, 5 floors, 5 rings– Attacked on Sept 11th

• Embassy Row– 174 foreign embassies,

59 along Mass Ave

• Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

• Exorcist Stairs • Einstein

Statue

• The Big Chair

July 14, 1789• Mobs storm Bastille

– Old fort, used as political prison

– Symbol of tyranny– Released 7 prisoners

• People inspired by American Revolution

• Why Rebel?– Commoners paid heavy taxes; clergy and

nobles paid none– French monetary support of American

Revolution had almost bankrupted treasury– People wanted to limit King’s power and a

guarantee of rights

Rulers

• Marriage– May 1770

• Louis, age 16• Ma Antoinette, age 14

• Coronation– May 1774

• Children– Ma Therese Charlotte– Louis Joseph– Louis Charles– Sophie Beatrix

• Louis XVI– 3rd son; not prepared to

rule– Became king in 1774 – Known as the ‘Sun King;

• Marie Antoinette– Austrian princess

(Hapsberg)

Old Regime• Commoners

– Middle class (Bourgeoisie)• Wealthy; outspoken

– Peasant farmers– Paid the most

• Taxes to govt• Tithes to church• Rent to nobles

• Clergy– Collected tithes– High and Parish priest– Pay no taxes

• Nobility– Less than 2%– Army officers and

govt officials– Not all wealthy

National Assembly

• Royal family tried to escape– Recognized at Austrian

border• Imprisoned in Temple Fortress

• Declaration of the Rights of Man– Wanted equality for all– Protection of personal

property• Constitution of 1791

– Limited king’s power– Provided for separation

of powers– Granted equal rights

National Convention• Reign of Terror (1793-94)

– Led by Robespierre (Jacobins)– Committee of Public Safety

• 20-40,000 people executed with guillotine

• National draft begun

• Robespierre guillotined in 1794

Death of Royal Family

• Louis XVI– Dec 11, 1792 trial– Jan 21, 1793 executed– Final words:

• “People, I die inoccent!”

• Put on trial for treason

• Marie Antoinette– Oct 14, 1793 trial– Oct 16, 1793 executed– Final words:

• “Pardon me, sir, I meant no harm.”

• The Children– MaTherese Charlotte

• Died 1851, age 73

– Louis Joseph• Died 1788, age 7

– Louis Charles• Died 1795, after 10 years in jail

– Sophie Beatrix• Died 1787, less than 1 year old

War in Europe• Other European countries

– surprised at the violence– afraid revolution would spread

• Nations send troops to French borders

• Legislative Assembly (1791-92)– Declared war on Austria

and Prussia

• National Convention (1792-93)– Declared war on Britain,

Netherlands and Spain

United States

– Neutrality Proclamation• Support neither side

– Britain seizing American ships; sent Jay to Britain

• Jay’s Treaty (1793)– completely pointless

• Supported Revolution at first; too violent

• Problems for US– France was an ally

during Revolution

– Britain was our most important trading

partner

Directory 1795-99• 5 Directors with executive power

– Continue war with Europe– Completely corrupt and inefficient– Riots among poor become common– Overthrown in 1799

• Napoleon Bonaparte– Consulate Empire (1799-

1804)– Napoleonic Code (1799)

• Restored order to France

– Concordat of 1801