Washington, DC, History for Kids

In 1790, after seven years of heated debate, the Continental Congress approved a plan to establish the nation's offical capital in a barely populated swamp straddling the Potomac River. Ten years later, in November 1800, Congress gaveled in its first session in the federal city—Washington—in what was then called the Territory of Columbia.


Washington, DC, History for Kids chronicles the rich and fascinating history of our nation's capital. Its first years were difficult—in 1814 the British invaded and burned the White House, the Treasury Building, and the Half-built Capitol Building—yet the city survived and flourished. During the next two centuries, District residents endured the Civil War at the front lines, witnessed the assassinations of two presidents, erected national monuments, and strove to overcome the city's shameful racial segregation.


This lively history also includes a time line, a list of online resources, and 21 engaging hands-on activities. Kids will: gather items for a cornerstone time capsule, take a walking tour of the national mall, research family history through the National Archives, design a memorial for a favorite president, plant a cherry tree, and more.