Why is Washington, D.C. a District and not a state?

Hi janessa!!

Washington DC or District of Columbia is an administrative district
created specifically to avoid having the capital city in any one
State. It has one county, the District of Columbia County. The
District of Columbia is the "Federal District" of the United States
and contains Washington City.

"During the Revolutionary period the Continental Congress was a
somewhat nomadic body. At different times within a single year, 1777,
Baltimore, Philadelphia, Lancaster, and York had the distinction of
being the seat of Congress. In 1783 the delegates were comfortably
settled in Philadelphia, and might have stayed there indefinitely had
not mutinous continental soldiers come upon them suddenly, while in
session, demanding their long overdue pay. Affronted and alarmed,
Congress removed to Princeton, N.J., a small place soon deplorably
overcrowded. The need for a permanent seat of national government,
preferably some piece of virgin territory wherein a "Federal town"
might be built, became imperative."
From "Washington Dc History" page at DCpages.com:
http://dcpages.ari.net/History/dchistory3.html


The short story is as follows:

"When the United States Constitution was adopted on September 15,
1787, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17, included language authorizing
the establishment of a federal district. This district was not to
exceed 10 miles square, under the exclusive legislative authority of
Congress. On July 16, 1790, Congress authorized President George
Washington to choose a permanent site for the capital city and, on
December 1, 1800, the capital was moved from Philadelphia to an area
along the Potomac River."
From "City of Washington D.C." page at PA-Roots.com:
http://www.dcroots.org/

"Washington was selected as the site of the national capital city
after a sitdown dinner deal between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
Hamilton. Jefferson agreed to support Hamilton's banking and federal
bond plans in exchange for the choice of a Southern locale for the
capital.
The signing of the Residence Bill on July 16, 1790 established a site
along the Potomac River as the District of Columbia (seat of
government) of the United States. Land for the district was given to
the federal government by the states of Virginia and Maryland and the
city was named after George Washington. On February 27, 1801 the
district was placed under the jurisdiction of the United States
Congress."
Washington, DC - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_DC


For a more detailed history about Washington DC and its special
status, please visit the following pages:
At "Washington DC History" from DCpages.com:
· DC Years : 1777 - 1790:
http://dcpages.ari.net/History/dchistory3.html

· DC Years : 1790 - 1798:
http://dcpages.ari.net/History/dchistory4.html

· DC Years : 1799 - 1808:
http://dcpages.ari.net/History/dchistory5.html


You will find more useful links at the index page for "Washington DC History":
http://dcpages.ari.net/History/


Text of the Residence Bill [S-12], July 1, 1790:
http://www.gwu.edu/~ffcp/exhibit/p12/p12_1text.html

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Search strategy:
Washington dc history
"District of Columbia" history

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I hope this helps you, but if you need further assistance on this
topic, please use the clarification feature to let me know, I will
respond gladly your requests.

Best regards.
livioflores-ga