United States Capitol

The Capitol is a big white building.

It is in Washington, D.C. Leaders meet here to make laws. This building is on a hill.

A man named Pierre L'Enfant planned the city. He helped pick the spot for the building. Many people worked to build it. Some were people who were not free.

Long ago, the building was burned by a group of soldiers. It was fixed in just five years. The building grew as more states joined. It has a very large dome. The Capitol is a very important place.

The United States Capitol is a big white building.

It is in Washington, D.C. This is where the U.S. Congress meets to make laws. The building sits on a place called Capitol Hill.

A man named Pierre L'Enfant planned the new city. He chose the spot for the building. In 1793, George Washington laid the first stone. Many people helped build it. This included enslaved people from Maryland and Virginia.

In 1814, British soldiers burned the building. It was fixed within five years. The building grew as more states joined the country. The north wing houses the Senate. The south wing houses the House of Representatives. A massive dome was finished around 1866.

Today, the Capitol is still a very important place. It has a large Visitor Center for people to see. The west front is used for presidential ceremonies. The building is overseen by an architect. This person looks after the whole area.

The United States Capitol is a famous white building.

It sits on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This building is the home of the United States Congress. Congress is the part of the government that makes laws. The building is built in a style called neoclassical. This means it looks like old buildings from Greece or Rome. It is a very important place for the whole country.

Building a capital city is a big job. First, leaders had to decide where the capital would be. Alexander Hamilton helped find a compromise for this. They chose a spot along the Potomac River. Pierre L'Enfant was the man who planned the city. He chose the hill for the building. He called it a pedestal for a monument.

Many people helped build the Capitol over many years. In 1793, President George Washington laid the first stone. Sadly, enslaved people from Maryland and Virginia also did much of the work. The government paid their owners for their labor. The building grew as more states joined the United States. The north wing became the home for the Senate. The south wing became the home for the House of Representatives.

The building has faced many hard times. In 1814, British forces burned the building during a war.

Workers fixed the damage within five years. Later, the building needed to be even larger. A huge cast-iron dome was built in the 1850s. This dome was finished around 1866 after the Civil War.

The east front was also made larger in 1958.

Today, the Capitol is still a busy place for many people. A large Visitors Center opened in the early 21st century.

People can visit to see how the government works. The west front is used for special presidential ceremonies.

An architect looks after the building and the land around it. This person makes sure the Capitol Complex stays in good shape.

The United States Capitol is the seat of the U.S. Congress. This is the legislative branch of the federal government.

The building is located on Capitol Hill. This site is at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Capitol is built in a neoclassical style. This architectural style uses elements from ancient Greece and Rome. The building features a white exterior that is very famous. It serves as a central symbol for the American government.

The Capitol functions as a bicameral legislature. This means the legislative body has two distinct parts. The House of Representatives meets in the south wing. The Senate meets in the north wing.

As more states joined the union, the building had to grow. Workers extended the wings to create more space for these chambers. The building also acts as a geographic origin point. It defines the four quadrants of Washington, D.C. It also sets the basis for the city's street-numbering system.

Before the Capitol was built, Congress met in many different places. They met at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. They also met in New York City and several other locations. These included Princeton, New Jersey, and Annapolis, Maryland. In 1790, the Residence Act helped create a permanent capital. Alexander Hamilton helped broker a compromise to settle the location. The capital was placed along the Potomac River. Philadelphia served as a temporary capital for ten years. The new capital would be ready by December 1800.

Pierre L'Enfant was the planner for the new capital city. He identified the site for the Capitol as Jenkins Hill. He described the hill as a "pedestal awaiting a monument." L'Enfant designed a grand avenue to connect the Capitol to the President's House. This path is now known as Pennsylvania Avenue. The term "Capitol" comes from the Latin word Capitolium. This referred to the Capitoline Hill in ancient Rome. Thomas Jefferson was the person who applied this name to the building. He had previously served in the House of Burgesses.

Construction of the building involved many different people and challenges. In September 1793, President George Washington laid the cornerstone. An amateur architect named William Thornton submitted a winning design. His plan was praised for its grandeur and simplicity. He was inspired by the Louvre in Paris. However, the design was changed by several other architects. Benjamin Henry Latrobe and Charles Bulfinch both worked on it. Enslaved people from Maryland and Virginia provided much of the labor. The government paid their owners for this work. This practice kept labor costs low for the federal government.

The building has survived many significant historical events. In 1814, British forces burned the building during a war.

Workers fully restored the structure within five years. During the 1850s, the building underwent massive changes. Thomas Ustick Walter and August Schoenborn designed a new cast-iron dome. This massive dome was completed around 1866. This was just after the American Civil War ended. In 1958, the east front portico was extended. The building continues to evolve to meet modern needs.

Today, the Capitol remains a major center for democracy. The west front is used for presidential inauguration ceremonies.

The east front was originally intended for visitors and dignitaries. A modern Visitors Center opened in the early 21st century.

The Architect of the Capitol oversees the entire building. This official also manages the surrounding Capitol Complex. The site remains a vital part of the American political system. It connects the history of the nation to its current laws.