In July 1790, the Residence Act was voted for so that United States government could find a city to call its capital. The territory where the Potomac River splits was chosen to be the “capital district”, known as the District of Columbia. The city they began to build there was named the City of Washington, in honor of George Washington, our first president. It took almost nine years to build Washington D.C. and get it ready for Congress to move in. So, on May 15, 1800, President John Adams told congress that it was time to pack up and
move to Washington D.C.
After Congress ended its last meeting in Philadelphia on May 15th, President Adams told them that they had one month to move and settle in so that by June 15th Washington D.C. would be ready to be the nation's capital. This deadline was met, and Washington D.C. has been our nation's capital ever since. President Adams and his wife, however, had to wait until November 1800 to move into the White House because it not done being built. They were the first presidential family to live in the White House.
