Come to Washington D.C.

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Since 1791, Washington, D.C. has served as the nation’s capital. It was named after Revolutionary War hero and first U.S. president George Washington, and created by combining donated land from Virginia and Maryland. It continues to represent the hub of U.S. government and remains the central location where American politics is handled. Today, Washington, D.C. is the sixth most populous metropolitan area in the country and has a sizeable African-American population.

Along with the White House and U.S. Capitol, a number of national monuments and museums call Washington, D.C. home, including the Lincoln Memorial and Washington National Cathedral. The city is also responsible for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which is celebrated every spring. The event commemorates the March 1912 gift of cherry blossom trees extended by Tokyo’s mayor Yukio Ozaki. The gift was offered to strengthen the budding friendship between the United States and Japan. Interestingly, the first batch of cherry blossom trees sent over in 1910 had to be burnt after they were found to be infested with agricultural pests.