Washington, D.C. and The Washington Post

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a federal district to become the national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution. The District is therefore not a part of any U.S. state. HP Pavilion dv6-3000 Battery It was formed from land along the Potomac River donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia; however, the Virginia portion was returned by Congress in 1846. A new capital city named after George Washington was founded in 1791 to the east of the preexisting port of Georgetown. HP Pavilion dv6-3005sa BatteryCongress consolidated the City of Washington, Georgetown, and the remaining unincorporated area within the District under a single municipal government in 1871. The city shares its name with the U.S. state of Washington, located on the country's Pacific coast. Washington, D.C., had an estimated population of 617,996 in 2011. HP Pavilion dv6-3005TX BatteryThe city was the 24th most populous place in the United States as of 2010. Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city's population to over one million during the workweek. The Washington Metropolitan Area, of which the District is a part, has a population of nearly 5.6 million, the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the country. HP Pavilion dv6-3006TX Battery The centers of all three branches of the federal government of the United States are located in the District, as are many of the nation's monuments and museums. Washington, D.C., hosts 176 foreign embassies as well as the headquarters of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Inter-American Development Bank, HP Pavilion dv6-3010sa Battery and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The headquarters of many other institutions such as trade unions, non-profit organizations, lobbying groups, and professional associations are also located in the city. The District is governed by a locally elected mayor and 13-member city council. HP Pavilion dv6-3011TX Battery However, the United States Congress has supreme authority over the city and may overturn local laws. Residents therefore have less self-governance than residents of the U.S. states. The District has a non-voting, at-large Congressional delegate, but no senators. D.C. residents could not vote in presidential elections until the ratification of the Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1961. HistoryHP Pavilion dv6-3015sa Battery Main article: History of Washington, D.C. An Algonquian-speaking people known as the Nacotchtank inhabited the area around the Anacostia River when the first Europeans arrived in the 17th century.[3] However, Native American people had largely relocated from the area by the early 18th centuryHP Pavilion dv6-3020sa Battery.[4] In his "Federalist No. 43", published January 23, 1788, James Madison argued that the new federal government would need authority over a national capital to provide for its own maintenance and safety.[5] Five years earlier, in an event known as the Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783, HP Pavilion dv6-3025sa Battery a mob of unpaid soldiers besieged the Congress while it was meeting in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania government refused requests to forcibly disperse the protesters, which emphasized the need for the national government not to rely on any state for its own security.[6] Article One, HP Pavilion dv6-3026tx BatterySection Eight of the United States Constitution therefore permits the establishment of a "District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States."[7] However, the Constitution does not specify a location for the capital. HP Pavilion dv6-3030sa Battery In what later became known as the Compromise of 1790, Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson came to an agreement that the federal government would pay each state's remaining Revolutionary War debts in exchange for establishing the new national capital in the Southern United States. HP Pavilion dv6-3030TX Battery [8][a] The U.S. Capitol after the burning of Washington during the War of 1812 On July 16, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital to be located on the Potomac River, the exact area to be selected by President George Washington. HP Pavilion dv6-3031sa Battery Formed from land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, the initial shape of the federal district was a square measuring 10 miles (16 km) on each side, totaling 100 square miles (260 km2).[9][b] Two preexisting settlements were included in the territory: HP Pavilion dv6-3032sa Battery the port of Georgetown, Maryland founded in 1751,[10] and the city of Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1749.[11] During 1791–92, Andrew Ellicott and several assistants, including Benjamin Banneker, surveyed the borders of the federal district and placed boundary stones at every mile point.[12] Many of the stones are still standing. HP Pavilion dv6-3032TX Battery [13] A new "federal city" was then constructed on the north bank of the Potomac, to the east of the established settlement at Georgetown. On September 9, 1791, the three commissioners charged with overseeing the capital's construction named the city in honor of President Washington. HP Pavilion dv6-3033sa Battery The federal district was named Columbia, which was a poetic name for the United States in use at that time.[14][15] Congress held its first session in Washington on November 17, 1800.[16] Shortly after arriving in the new capital, Congress passed the Organic Act of 1801, which officially organized the District of Columbia and placed the entire territory under the exclusive control of the federal government. HP Pavilion dv6-3035sa BatteryFurther, the unincorporated area within the District was organized into two counties: the County of Washington to the east of the Potomac and the County of Alexandria to the west.[17] After the passage of this Act, citizens located in the District were no longer considered residents of Maryland or Virginia, HP Pavilion dv6-3040sa Batterywhich therefore ended their representation in Congress.[18] Ford's Theatre in the 19th century, site of the 1865 assassination of President Lincoln On August 24–25, 1814, in a raid known as the Burning of Washington, British forces invaded the capital during the War of 1812, following the Battle of York. The Capitol, Treasury, HP Pavilion dv6-3042TX Batteryand White House were burned and gutted during the attack.[19] Most government buildings were quickly repaired, but the Capitol, which was at the time largely under construction, was not completed in its current form until 1868.[20] In the 1830s, the District's southern territory of Alexandria went into economic decline partly due to neglect by CongressHP Pavilion dv6-3044sa Battery.[21] Alexandria was a major market in the American slave trade and residents feared that abolitionists in Congress would end slavery in the District, further depressing the economy. As a result, Alexandrians petitioned Virginia to take back the land it had donated to form the District; a process known as retrocessionHP Pavilion dv6-3045sa Battery.[22] The state legislature voted in February 1846 to accept the return of Alexandria and on July 9, 1846, Congress agreed to return all the territory that had been ceded by Virginia. Therefore, the District's current area consists only of land donated by Maryland.[21] Confirming the fears of pro-slavery Alexandrians, HP Pavilion dv6-3046sa Battery the Compromise of 1850 outlawed the slave trade in the District, though not slavery itself.[23] The outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 led to notable growth in the District's population due to the expansion of the federal government and a large influx of freed slaves.[24] President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862, HP Pavilion dv6-3047sa Battery which ended slavery in the District of Columbia and freed about 3,100 enslaved persons, nine months prior to the Emancipation Proclamation.[25] In 1868, Congress granted male African American residents of the District the right to vote in municipal elections.[24] By 1870, the District's population had grown 75% from the previous census to nearly 132,000 residents. HP Pavilion dv6-3048sa Battery [26] Despite the city's growth, Washington still had dirt roads and lacked basic sanitation. The situation was so bad that some members of Congress suggested moving the capital further west, but President Ulysses S. Grant refused to consider such a proposal.[27] Crowds surrounding the Reflecting Pool during the 1963 March on Washington Congress passed the Organic Act of 1871, HP Pavilion dv6-3048tx Battery which repealed the individual charters of the cities of Washington and Georgetown, and a created a new territorial government for the whole District of Columbia.[28] President Grant appointed Alexander Robey Shepherd to the new position of governor in 1873. Shepherd authorized large-scale municipal projects, which greatly modernized the city. However, the governor spent three times the money that had been budgeted for capital improvements, which ultimately bankrupted the District. HP Pavilion dv6-3050eo BatteryIn 1874, Congress replaced the territorial government with an appointed three-member Board of Commissioners.[29] The city's first motorized streetcars began service in 1888 and spurred growth in areas of the District beyond the City of Washington's original boundaries. HP Pavilion dv6-3050sa Battery [30] In 1895, Washington formally annexed Georgetown, which until then had maintained a nominal separate identity.[31] With a consolidated government and the transformation of rural areas within the District into urban neighborhoods, the entire city eventually took the name Washington, D.C.[30] Increased federal spending as a result of New Deal legislation in the 1930s led to the construction of new government buildings, HP Pavilion dv6-3055sa Batterymemorials, and museums in Washington.[32] World War II further increased government activity, adding to the number of federal employees in the capital;[33] by 1950, the District's population reached its peak of 802,178 residents.[26] The Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1961HP Pavilion dv6-3056sa Battery, granting the District three votes in the Electoral College for the election of President and Vice President, but still no voting representation in Congress. After the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on April 4, 1968, riots broke out in the District, primarily in the U Street, HP Pavilion dv6-3057sa Battery14th Street, 7th Street, and H Street corridors, centers of black residential and commercial areas. The riots raged for three days until over 13,600 federal troops managed to stop the violence. Many stores and other buildings were burned; rebuilding was not complete until the late 1990s. HP Pavilion dv6-3060sa Battery [34] In 1973, Congress enacted the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, providing for an elected mayor and city council for the District.[35] In 1975, Walter Washington became the first elected and first black mayor of the District.[36] On September 11, 2001, HP Pavilion dv6-3065ea Batteryterrorists hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 and deliberately crashed the plane into the Pentagon in nearby Arlington, Virginia. United Airlines Flight 93, believed to be destined for Washington, D.C., crashed in Pennsylvania when passengers tried to recover control of the plane from hijackersHP Pavilion dv6-3067ea Battery.[37][38] Geography Main article: Geography of Washington, D.C. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal passes through the Georgetown neighborhood. The District has a total area of 68.3 square miles (177 km2), of which 61.4 square miles (159 km2) is land and 6.9 square miles (18 km2) (10.16%) is water. HP Pavilion dv6-3068ea Battery [39] It is no longer 100 square miles (260 km2) due to the retrocession of the southern portion of the District back to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1846. The city is therefore surrounded by the states of Maryland to the southeast, northeast, and northwest and Virginia to the southwest. Washington has three major natural flowing streams: the Potomac River and its tributaries the Anacostia River and Rock Creek. HP Pavilion dv6-3070ea Battery [40] Tiber Creek, a natural watercourse that once passed through the National Mall, was fully enclosed underground during the 1870s.[41] The creek also formed a portion of the now-filled Washington City Canal, which allowed passage through the city to the Anacostia River from 1815 until the 1850sHP Pavilion dv6-3077la Battery.[42] The present Chesapeake and Ohio Canal starts in Georgetown and was used during the 19th century to bypass the Great Falls of the Potomac River, located upstream (northwest) of Washington.[43] The highest natural elevation in the District of Columbia is 409 feet (125 m) above sea level at Fort Reno Park in northwest Washington. HP Pavilion dv6-3085ea Battery [44] The lowest point is sea level at the Potomac River. The geographic center of Washington is located near the intersection of 4th and L Streets NW.[45] Contrary to the urban legend, Washington was not built on a reclaimed swamp, but wetlands did cover areas along the water.[46][47] The United States government owns about 23% of the land in the District; lower than the percentage of federal lands in 12 statesHP Pavilion dv6-3088la Battery.[48] The District has 7,464 acres of parkland, about 19% of the city's total area and the second-highest percentage among high-density U.S. cities.[49] The large percentage of city land dedicated to park areas contributes to a high urban tree canopy coverage of 35%.[50] The National Park Service manages most of the city's parkland, including Rock Creek Park, HP Pavilion dv6-3089la Battery the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, the National Mall and Constitution Gardens, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Fort Dupont Park, Meridian Hill Park, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, and Anacostia Park.[51] The only significant area of natural habitat not managed by the National Park Service is the U.S. HP Pavilion dv6-3100 BatteryNational Arboretum, which is operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.[52] Climate The National Cherry Blossom Festival is celebrated around the city each spring. Washington is located in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen: Cfa) and exhibits four distinct seasons. HP Pavilion dv6-3100sa Battery [53] Its climate is typical of Mid-Atlantic U.S. areas removed from bodies of water. The District is located in plant hardiness zone 8a near downtown, and zone 7b elsewhere in the city, indicating a temperate climate.[54] Spring and fall are warm, while winter is cool with annual snowfall averaging 14.7 inches (37 cm). HP Pavilion dv6-3110ea Battery Winter temperatures average around 38 °F (3.3 °C) from mid-December to mid-February.[55] Summers are hot and humid with a July daily average of 79.2 °F (26.2 °C) and average daily relative humidity around 66%, which can cause medium to moderate personal discomfort.[55][56] The combination of heat and humidity in the summer brings very frequent thunderstorms, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area. HP Pavilion dv6-3110sa Battery [57] Blizzards affect Washington on average once every four to six years. The most violent storms are called "nor'easters", which often affect large sections of the U.S. East Coast.[58] Hurricanes (or their remnants) occasionally track through the area in late summer and early fall, but are often weak by the time they reach Washington, HP Pavilion dv6-3111sa Battery partly due to the city's inland location.[59] Flooding of the Potomac River, however, caused by a combination of high tide, storm surge, and runoff, has been known to cause extensive property damage in Georgetown.[60] The highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) on July 20, 1930, and August 6, 1918, HP Pavilion dv6-3112sa Battery while the lowest recorded temperature was −15 °F (−26 °C) on February 11, 1899, during the Great Blizzard of 1899.[55][58] During a typical year, the city averages about 37 days at or above 90 °F (32.2 °C) and 64 nights at or below freezing.[55] CityscapeHP Pavilion dv6-3113sa Battery The L'Enfant Plan for Washington, D.C., as revised by Andrew Ellicott in 1792 Washington, D.C., is a planned city. In 1791, President Washington commissioned Pierre (Peter) Charles L’Enfant to design the new capital. A French-born architect and city planner, HP Pavilion dv6-3114sa Battery L'Enfant first arrived in the colonies as a military engineer during the American Revolutionary War. The L'Enfant Plan for Washington featured broad streets and avenues radiating out from rectangles, providing room for open space and landscaping.[63] He based his design on plans of cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Karlsruhe, HP Pavilion dv6-3115sa Battery and Milan brought from Europe by Thomas Jefferson in 1788.[64] L'Enfant's design also envisioned a garden-lined "grand avenue" approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) in length and 400 feet (120 m) wide in the area that is now the National Mall.[65] In March 1792, HP Pavilion dv6-3115tx Battery President Washington dismissed L'Enfant due to his insistence on micromanaging the city's planning, which had resulted in conflicts with the three commissioners appointed to supervise the capital's construction. Andrew Ellicott, who had worked with L'Enfant surveying the city, was then tasked with completing the design. HP Pavilion dv6-3116sa BatteryThough Ellicott made revisions to the original plans, including changes to some street patterns, L'Enfant is still credited with the overall design of the city.[66] By the start of the 20th century, L'Enfant's vision of a capital with open parks and grand national monuments had become marred by slums and randomly placed buildings, HP Pavilion dv6-3116tx Batteryincluding a railroad station on the National Mall.[63] In 1900, Congress formed a joint committee, headed by Senator James McMillan, charged with beautifying Washington's ceremonial core. What became known as the McMillan Plan was finalized in 1901. It included the re-landscaping of the Capitol grounds and the Mall, constructing new federal buildings and monuments, clearing slums, and establishing a new citywide park system. HP Pavilion dv6-3117sa BatteryArchitects recruited by the committee kept much of the city's original layout, and their work is thought to have largely preserved L'Enfant's intended design.[63] Washington, D.C., is divided into four quadrants. By law, Washington's skyline is low and sprawling. HP Pavilion dv6-3118sa BatteryThe first building height restrictions in D.C. were put in place following the construction of the twelve-story Cairo Apartment Building in 1894. The Heights of Buildings Act of 1910 amended the restrictions to allow buildings that are no taller than the width of the adjacent street, plus 20 feet (6.1 m). Despite popular belief, HP Pavilion dv6-3119sa Batteryno law has ever limited buildings to the height of the United States Capitol or the 555-foot (169 m) Washington Monument,[47] which remains the District's tallest structure. City leaders have criticized the height restriction as a primary reason why the District has limited affordable housing and traffic problems caused by urban sprawl. HP Pavilion dv6-3120sa Battery [67] The District is divided into four quadrants of unequal area: Northwest (NW), Northeast (NE), Southeast (SE), and Southwest (SW). The axes bounding the quadrants radiate from the U.S. Capitol building.[68] All road names include the quadrant abbreviation to indicate their location, HP Pavilion dv6-3121sa Battery and house numbers are assigned based on the approximate number of blocks away from the Capitol. In most of the city, the streets are set out in a grid pattern with east–west streets named with letters (e.g., C Street SW) and north–south streets with numbers (e.g., 4th Street NW).[68] The City of Washington was bordered by Boundary Street to the north (renamed Florida Avenue in 1890), HP Pavilion dv6-3122sa Battery Rock Creek to the west, and the Anacostia River to the east.[30][63] The city's streets were extended throughout the District starting in 1893,[69] and Georgetown's streets were renamed in 1895.[31] Some streets are particularly noteworthy, such as Pennsylvania Avenue, which connects the White House to the U.S. HP Pavilion dv6-3123sa BatteryCapitol and K Street, which houses the offices of many lobbying groups.[70] Washington hosts 176 foreign embassies,[71] many of which are located on a section of Massachusetts Avenue informally known as Embassy Row.[72] Architecture The White House ranked second on the AIA's "List of America's Favorite Architecture" in 2007HP Pavilion dv6-3125sa Battery. The architecture of Washington varies greatly. Six of the top 10 buildings in the American Institute of Architects' 2007 ranking of "America's Favorite Architecture" are located in the District of Columbia:[73] the White House; the Washington National Cathedral; the Thomas Jefferson Memorial; the United States Capitol; the Lincoln Memorial; and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. HP Pavilion dv6-3127sa Battery The neoclassical, Georgian, gothic, and modern architectural styles are all reflected among those six structures and many other prominent edifices in Washington. Notable exceptions include buildings constructed in the French Second Empire style such as the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. HP Pavilion dv6-3130sa Battery [74] Outside downtown Washington, architectural styles are even more varied. Historic buildings are designed primarily in the Queen Anne, Châteauesque, Richardsonian Romanesque, Georgian revival, Beaux-Arts, and a variety of Victorian styles. Rowhouses are especially prominent in areas developed after the Civil War and typically follow Federalist and late Victorian designsHP Pavilion dv6-3131sa Battery.[75] Since Georgetown was established before the city of Washington, the neighborhood features the District's oldest architecture. Georgetown's Old Stone House was built in 1765, making it the oldest-standing original building in the city.[76] The majority of current homes in the neighborhood, HP Pavilion dv6-3140sa Battery however, were not built until the 1870s and reflect late Victorian designs of the period. Founded in 1789, Georgetown University is more distinct from the neighborhood and features a mix of Romanesque and Gothic Revival architecture.[74] The Ronald Reagan Building is the largest building in the District with a total area of approximately 3.1 million square feet (288,000 m2). HP Pavilion dv6-3141ea Battery [77] Demographics The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the District's population was 617,996 on July 1, 2011, a 2.7% increase since the 2010 United States Census.[1] The increase continues a growth trend since 2000, HP Pavilion dv6-3150sa Battery following a half-century of population decline.[79] The city was the 24th most populous place in the United States as of 2010.[80] According to data from 2009, commuters from the suburbs increase the District's daytime population to over one million people.[81] If the District were a state it would rank 50th in population, ahead of Wyoming. HP Pavilion dv6-3163eo Battery [78] The Washington Metropolitan Area, which includes the District and surrounding suburbs, is the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States with approximately 5.6 million residents as of the 2010 Census.[2] When the Washington area is included with Baltimore and its suburbs, HP Pavilion dv6-3180ea Battery the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area had a population exceeding 8.5 million residents in 2010, the fourth-largest combined statistical area in the country.[82] According to the 2010 Census, the population of Washington, D.C., was 50.7% Black or African American, 38.5% White, HP Pavilion dv6-3298ea Battery3.5% Asian, and 0.3% Native American. Individuals from other races made up 4.1% of the District's population while individuals from two or more races made up 2.9%.[83] In addition, Hispanics of any race made up 9.1% of the District's population.[84] About 16% of D.C. residents were age 18 or younger as of 2010; lower than the U.S. HP Pavilion dv6-3299ea Batteryaverage of 24%. However, at 34 years old, the District also had the lowest median age when compared to the 50 states.[85] As of 2010, there were an estimated 81,734 foreign immigrants living in Washington, D.C.[86] Major sources of immigration include individuals from El Salvador, Vietnam, and Ethiopia, HP Pavilion dv6-3300 Battery with a concentration of Salvadorans in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood.[87] Unique among cities with a high percentage of African Americans, Washington has had a significant black population since the city's creation. This is partly a result of the manumission of slaves in the Upper South after the American Revolutionary War. HP Pavilion dv6-3300sg BatteryThe free black population in the region climbed from an estimated 1% before the war to 10% by 1810.[88] By 1860, approximately 80% of the city's 11,000 African American residents were free persons.[89] Black residents composed about 30% of the District's total population between 1800 and 1940.[26] Row houses on Logan Circle Washington's African American population reached a peak of 70% by 1970. Since then, however, HP Pavilion dv6-3350ef Battery the percentage of black residents has steadily declined due to many African Americans leaving the city for the surrounding suburbs.[90] At the same time, the city's white population has steadily increased, due in part to the effects of gentrification in many of Washington's traditionally African American neighborhoods. This is evident in an 11.5% decrease in the black population and a 31.4% increase in the non-Hispanic white population since 2000. HP Pavilion dv6-3350sf Battery [90] Even still, Washington, D.C., is a top destination for African American professionals who are moving to the area in a "New Great Migration."[91] Researchers using data from the 2010 Census revealed that there were 4,822 same-sex couples in the District of Columbia, about 2% of total households. HP Pavilion dv6-3351ef Battery [92] The city council passed legislation in 2009 authorizing same-sex marriage and the District began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in March 2010.[93] A report published in 2007 found that about one-third of District residents are functionally illiterate, compared to a national rate of about one in five. This is attributed in part to immigrants who are not proficient in EnglishHP Pavilion dv6-3351sf Battery.[94] In contrast to the high rate of functional illiteracy, 50% of D.C. residents have at least a four-year college degree.[86] In 2006, D.C. residents had a personal income per capita of $55,755, higher than any of the 50 U.S. states.[95] However, 19% of residents were below the poverty level in 2005, HP Pavilion dv6-3355ef Battery higher than any state except Mississippi.[96] According to data from 2008, more than half of District residents identify as Christian: 28% of residents are Baptists, 13% are Roman Catholic, and 31% are members of other Christian denominations. Residents who practice other faiths make up 6% of the population and 18% do not adhere to a religionHP Pavilion dv6-3355sf Battery.[97] Over 90% of D.C. residents have health insurance coverage; the second-highest rate in the nation. This is due in part to city programs that help provide insurance to low-income individuals who do not qualify for other types of coverage.[98] A 2009 report found that at least 3% of District residents have HIV or AIDS, HP Pavilion dv6-3362ef Battery which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) characterizes as a "generalized and severe" epidemic.[99] Crime Main article: Crime in Washington, D.C. See also: Metropolitan Police Department of the District of ColumbiaHP Pavilion dv6-3362sf Battery During the violent crime wave of the early 1990s, Washington, D.C., was known as the murder capital of the United States and often rivaled New Orleans in the number of homicides.[100] The number of murders peaked in 1991 at 479, but the level of violence declined drastically in the 1990s. By 2011, HP Pavilion dv6-6000 Battery the annual murder count in the city had declined to 108, the lowest total since 1963.[101] In total, reports of violent crimes and property crimes have both declined by half since 1993.[102] Like most large cities, crime is highest in areas associated with illegal drugs and gangs. A 2010 study found that 5% of city blocks contributed to over one-quarter of the District's total crimeHP Pavilion dv6-6000eg Battery.[103] The more affluent neighborhoods of Northwest Washington are typically safe, but reports of violent crime increase in poorer neighborhoods generally concentrated in the eastern portion of the city.[103] Approximately 60,000 residents are ex-convicts.[104] Many neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights and Logan Circle are becoming safer and vibrant. However, HP Pavilion dv6-6001ea Battery incidents of robberies and thefts have remained higher in these areas due to increased nightlife activity and greater numbers of affluent residents.[105] While instances of property crime remain high, reports are still half the level cited during the mid-1990s, and the patterns of theft continue to disperse to the north and east of downtown. HP Pavilion dv6-6001eg Battery [106] On June 26, 2008, the Supreme Court of the United States held in District of Columbia v. Heller that the city's 1976 handgun ban violated the Second Amendment right to gun ownership.[107] However, the ruling does not prohibit all forms of gun control; laws requiring firearm registration remain in place, as does the city's assault weapon ban.[108] EconomyHP Pavilion dv6-6001sg Battery Washington has a growing, diversified economy with an increasing percentage of professional and business service jobs.[109] The gross state product of the District in 2010 was $103.3 billion, which would rank it No. 34 compared to the 50 U.S. states.[110] The gross product of the Washington Metropolitan Area was $425 billion in 2010, HP Pavilion dv6-6002eg Battery making it the fourth-largest metropolitan economy in the United States.[111] As of June 2011, the Washington Metropolitan Area had an unemployment rate of 6.2%; the second-lowest rate among the 49 largest metro areas in the nation.[112] The District of Columbia itself had an unemployment rate of 9.8% during the same time periodHP Pavilion dv6-6002sg Battery.[113] Eastern Market on Capitol Hill houses food vendors and artisan stalls. In 2012, the federal government accounted for about 29% of the jobs in Washington, D.C.[114] This is thought to immunize Washington to national economic downturns because the federal government continues operations even during recessions.[115] However, as of January 2007, HP Pavilion dv6-6003eg Battery federal employees in the Washington area comprised only 14% of the total U.S. government workforce.[116] Many organizations such as law firms, independent contractors (both defense and civilian), non-profit organizations, lobbying firms, trade unions, industry trade groups, and professional associations have their headquarters in or near D.C. HP Pavilion dv6-6004sa Batteryto be close to the federal government.[70] The District has growing industries not directly related to government, especially in the areas of education, finance, public policy, and scientific research. Georgetown University, George Washington University, HP Pavilion dv6-6005ea BatteryWashington Hospital Center, Children's National Medical Center and Howard University are the top five non-government-related employers in the city as of 2009.[117] According to statistics compiled in 2011, four of the largest 500 companies in the country were located in the District. HP Pavilion dv6-6005eg Battery [118] Washington became the leader in foreign real estate investment in 2009, ahead of both London and New York City, in a survey of the top 200 global development companies.[119] In 2006, Expansion Magazine ranked D.C. among the top ten areas in the nation favorable to business expansion.[120] Despite the national economic crisis and housing price downturn, HP Pavilion dv6-6005sg Battery Washington ranked second on the Forbes list of the best long-term housing markets in the country.[121] Culture Historic sites and museums The Lincoln Memorial had over six million visitors in 2010.[122] The National Mall is a large, open park in downtown Washington between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol. HP Pavilion dv6-6006ea BatteryGiven its prominence, the mall is often the location of political protests, concerts, festivals, and presidential inaugurations. The Washington Monument and the Jefferson Pier are located near the center of the mall, south of the White House. Also located on the mall are the National World War II Memorial at the east end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, HP Pavilion dv6-6007sg Battery the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.[123] Directly south of the mall, the Tidal Basin features rows of Japanese cherry blossom trees that originated as gifts from the nation of Japan.[124] The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, George Mason Memorial, HP Pavilion dv6-6007TX Battery Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and the District of Columbia War Memorial are located around the Tidal Basin.[123] The National Archives houses thousands of documents important to American history including the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. HP Pavilion dv6-6008eg Battery [125] Located in three buildings on Capitol Hill, the Library of Congress is the largest library complex in the world with a collection of over 147 million books, manuscripts, and other materials.[126] The United States Supreme Court Building was completed in 1935; before then, the court held sessions in the Old Senate Chamber of the Capitol. HP Pavilion dv6-6008sa Battery The Smithsonian Institution operates 19 museums and the National Zoo, all free to the public. The Smithsonian Institution is an educational foundation chartered by Congress in 1846 that maintains most of the nation's official museums and galleries in Washington, D.C. The U.S. government partially funds the Smithsonian, thus making its collections open to the public free of charge. HP Pavilion dv6-6008TX Battery [128] The most visited of the Smithsonian museums in 2010 was the National Air and Space Museum located on the National Mall.[129] Other Smithsonian Institution museums and galleries located on the mall are: the National Museum of Natural History; the National Museum of African Art; the National Museum of American History; HP Pavilion dv6-6011tu Battery the National Museum of the American Indian; the Sackler and Freer galleries, which both focus on Asian art and culture; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; the Arts and Industries Building; the S. Dillon Ripley Center; and the Smithsonian Institution Building (also known as "The Castle"), which serves as the institution's headquartersHP Pavilion dv6-6012tu Battery.[130] The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery are located in the same building, the Donald W. Reynolds Center, near Washington's Chinatown.[131] The Reynolds Center is also known as the Old Patent Office Building.[132] The Renwick Gallery is officially part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum but is located in a separate building near the White House. HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl Battery Other Smithsonian museums and galleries include: the Anacostia Community Museum in Southeast Washington; the National Postal Museum near Union Station; and the National Zoo in Woodley ParkHP Pavilion dv6-6013tu Battery.[130] The National Gallery of Art, located on the National Mall near the Capitol, features works of American and European art. The gallery and its collections are owned by the U.S. government but are not a part of the Smithsonian Institution.[133] The National Building MuseumHP Pavilion dv6-6022eg Battery, which occupies the former Pension Building near Judiciary Square, was chartered by Congress as a private institution to host exhibits on architecture, urban planning, and design.[134] There are many private art museums in the District of Columbia, which house major collections and exhibits open to the public such as the National Museum of Women in the Arts; the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the largest private museum in Washington; HP Pavilion dv6-6023tx Battery [135] and The Phillips Collection in Dupont Circle, the first museum of modern art in the United States.[136] Other private museums in Washington include the Newseum, the O Street Museum Foundation, the International Spy Museum, the National Geographic Society Museum, and the Marian Koshland Science Museum. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum located near the National Mall maintains exhibits, HP Pavilion dv6-6024tx Battery documentation, and artifacts related to the Holocaust.[137] Arts Main articles: Theater in Washington, D.C. and Music of Washington, D.C.Mural of Duke Ellington on U Street Washington, D.C., is a national center for the arts. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is home to the National Symphony Orchestra, HP Pavilion dv6-6025tx Batterythe Washington National Opera, and the Washington Ballet. The Kennedy Center Honors are awarded each year to those in the performing arts who have contributed greatly to the cultural life of the United States.[138] Other prominent institutions such as the National Theatre, the Warner Theatre, and DAR Constitution Hall host live performances from around the country. HP Pavilion dv6-6026tx Battery The historic Ford's Theatre, site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, continues to operate as a functioning performance space as well as museum.[139] The Marine Barracks near Capitol Hill houses the United States Marine Band; founded in 1798, HP Pavilion dv6-6027tx Battery it is the country's oldest professional musical organization.[140] American march composer and Washington-native John Philip Sousa led the Marine Band from 1880 until 1892.[141] Founded in 1925, the United States Navy Band has its headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard and performs at official events and public concerts around the city. HP Pavilion dv6-6029tx Battery [142] Washington has a strong local theater tradition. Founded in 1950, Arena Stage achieved national attention and spurred growth in the city's independent theater movement.[143] In 2010, Arena Stage opened its newly renovated home in Southwest D.C., which has become a centerpiece of the city's emerging waterfront area. HP Pavilion dv6-6042sf Battery [144] Organizations such as the Shakespeare Theatre Company and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Penn Quarter, as well as the Studio Theatre and the Source Theatre on 14th Street NW, feature classical and new American plays. The GALA Hispanic Theatre, now housed in the historic Tivoli Theatre in Columbia HeightsHP Pavilion dv6-6051sf Battery, was founded in 1976 and is a National Center for the Latino Performing Arts.[145] The U Street Corridor in Northwest D.C., known as "Washington's Black Broadway", is home to institutions like Bohemian Caverns and the Lincoln Theatre, which hosted music legends such as Washington-native Duke Ellington, HP Pavilion dv6-6051xx Battery John Coltrane, and Miles Davis.[146] Other jazz venues feature modern blues, such as Madam's Organ in Adams Morgan and Blues Alley in Georgetown. Washington has its own native music genre called go-go; a post-funk, percussion-driven flavor of R&B that blends live sets with relentless dance rhythms. HP Pavilion dv6-6054ef BatteryThe most accomplished practitioner was D.C. band leader Chuck Brown, who brought go-go to the brink of national recognition with his 1979 LP Bustin' Loose.[147] The District is an important center for indie culture and music in the United States. The label Dischord Records, formed by Ian MacKaye, HP Pavilion dv6-6054sf Battery was one of the most crucial independent labels in the genesis of 1980s punk and eventually indie rock in the 1990s.[148] Washington's indie label history includes TeenBeat, Simple Machines, and ESL Music among others. HP Pavilion dv6-6063sf BatteryModern alternative and indie music venues like The Black Cat and the 9:30 Club near U Street bring popular acts to smaller more-intimate spaces.[149] Sports Main article: Sports in Washington, D.C. The Verizon Center in ChinatownHP Pavilion dv6-6087eg Battery Washington is one of 12 cities in the United States with teams from all four major professional men's sports and is home to one major professional women's team. The Washington Wizards (National Basketball Association), the Washington Capitals (National Hockey League), HP Pavilion dv6-6090sf Battery and the Washington Mystics (Women's National Basketball Association), play at the Verizon Center in Chinatown. Nationals Park, which opened in Southeast D.C. in 2008, is home to the Washington Nationals (Major League Baseball). D.C. United (Major League Soccer) plays at RFK Stadium. HP Pavilion dv6-6090us Battery The Washington Redskins (National Football League) play at nearby FedExField in Landover, Maryland. Current D.C. teams have won a combined ten professional league championships: the Washington Redskins has won five;[150] D.C. United has won four (the most in MLS history);[151] and the Washington Wizards (then the Washington Bullets) has won a single championship. HP Pavilion dv6-6091nr Battery [152] Other professional and semi-professional teams in Washington include: the Washington Kastles (World TeamTennis); the Washington D.C. Slayers (American National Rugby League); the Baltimore Washington Eagles (USAFL); hp-513775-001-batterythe D.C. Divas (Independent Women's Football League); and the Potomac Athletic Club RFC (Rugby Super League). The William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park hosts the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. Washington is also home to two major annual marathon races: the Marine Corps Marathon, which is held every autumn, and the Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon held in the spring.  hp-pavilion-dv9500-batteryThe Marine Corps Marathon began in 1976 is sometimes called "The People's Marathon" because it is the largest marathon that does not offer prize money to participants.[153] The District's four NCAA Division I teams have a broad following. The Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team is the most notable and also plays at the Verizon Center. Since 2008, hp-bq350aa-battery the District has hosted an annual college football bowl game at RFK Stadium, now called the Military Bowl.[154] The D.C. area is home to one regional sports television network, Comcast SportsNet (CSN), based in Bethesda, Maryland. Media Main article: Media in Washington, D.C. Washington's Newspaper Row on Pennsylvania Avenue in 1874 Washington, D.C.,  hp-g42-250la-battery is a prominent center for national and international media. The Washington Post, founded in 1877, is the oldest and most-read local daily newspaper in Washington.[155] It is probably most notable for its coverage of national and international politics and for exposing the Watergate scandal.[156] "The Post", as it is popularly called, had the sixth-highest print circulation of all news dailies in the country in 2010.  hp-envy-15-1100-battery  [157] The Washington Post Company has a daily free commuter newspaper called the Express, which summarizes events, sports and entertainment, as well as the Spanish-language paper El Tiempo Latino. Local dailies The Washington Times and The Washington Examiner as well as the alternative weekly Washington City Paper also have substantial readership in the Washington areahp-513775-001-battery.[158][159] Some community and specialty papers focus on neighborhood and cultural issues, including the weekly Washington Blade and Metro Weekly, which focus on LGBT issues; the Washington Informer and The Washington Afro American, which highlight topics of interest to the black community; and neighborhood newspapers published by The Current Newspapers. hp-probook-4720s-battery Congressional Quarterly, The Hill, Politico and Roll Call newspapers focus exclusively on issues related to Congress and the federal government. Other publications based in Washington include the National Geographic magazine and political publications such as The New Republic and Washington Monthly.  hp-business-notebook-6735s-battery [160] The Washington Metropolitan Area is the ninth-largest television media market in the U.S. with two million homes (approximately 2% of the U.S. population).[161] Several media companies and cable television channels have their headquarters in the area, including C-SPAN; Black Entertainment Television (BET); Radio One; the National Geographic Channel; Smithsonian Networks;  hp-business-notebook-6720s-battery National Public Radio (NPR); Travel Channel (in Chevy Chase, Maryland); Discovery Communications (in Silver Spring, Maryland); and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (in Arlington, Virginia). The headquarters of Voice of America, the U.S. government's international news service, is located near the Capitol in Southwest Washington.[162] Government The John A. hp-business-notebook-6730s-ct-batteryWilson Building houses the offices of the mayor and council of the District of Columbia. Article One, Section Eight of the United States Constitution grants the U.S. Congress "exclusive jurisdiction" over the city. The District did not have an elected municipal government until the passage of the 1973 Home Rule Act.  hp-probook-4710s-batteryThe Act devolved certain Congressional powers to a local government administered by an elected mayor, currently Vincent C. Gray, and the thirteen-member Council of the District of Columbia. However, Congress retains the right to review and overturn laws created by the council and intervene in local affairs hp-pavilion-dm4-1165dx-battery.[163] Each of the city's eight wards elects a single member of the council and four at-large members represent the District as a whole. The council chair is also elected at-large.[164] There are 37 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) elected by small neighborhood districts. ANCs traditionally wield a great deal of influence and the city government routinely takes their suggestions into careful considerationhp-464059-252-battery.[165] The mayor and council set local taxes and a budget, which must be approved by Congress. The Home Rule Act prohibits the District from imposing a commuter tax on non-residents who make up over 60% of the city's workforce. In addition, over 50% of property in the District is also exempt from taxationHP Pavilion dv7 Battery.[166] The Government Accountability Office and other organizations have estimated that these revenue restrictions create a structural deficit in the city's budget of anywhere between $470 million and over $1 billion per year.[166][167][168] While Congress typically provides larger grants to the District for federal programs such as Medicaid and the local justice system, HP Pavilion dv7-1000 Battery analysts claim that the payments do not resolve the imbalance.[167][168] The District's local justice system is centered on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, whose judges are appointed by the President. The District's local courts, though operated by the federal government, HP Pavilion dv7-1000ea Batteryare separate from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which only hear cases regarding federal law.[169] The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia is also appointed by the President and is responsible for prosecuting both federal and local crimes. HP Pavilion dv7-1000ef Battery [170] In addition to the District's own Metropolitan Police Department, many federal law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction in the city as well; most visibly the U.S. Park Police, founded in 1791.[171] The city's local government, particularly during the mayoralty of Marion Barry, was criticized for mismanagement and waste. HP Pavilion dv7-1000eg Battery [172] During his administration in 1989, The Washington Monthly magazine claimed that the District had "the worst city government in America."[173] Barry was elected mayor in 1978, serving three successive four-year terms, followed by a fourth term starting in 1995. That year, Congress created the District of Columbia Financial Control Board to oversee all municipal spending and rehabilitate the city government. HP Pavilion dv7-1000fr Battery [174] Mayor Anthony Williams won election in 1998. His administration oversaw a period of greater prosperity, urban renewal, and budget surpluses.[166] The District regained control over its finances in 2001 and the oversight board's operations were suspendedHP Pavilion dv7-1001ea Battery.[175] Washington, D.C., observes all federal holidays. The District also celebrates Emancipation Day on April 16, which commemorates the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act by President Abraham Lincoln, ending slavery in the District of Columbia in 1862HP Pavilion dv7-1001eg Battery.[25] Federal representation and taxation The United States Congress has ultimate authority over the District. Residents of the District of Columbia have no voting representation in Congress. They are represented in the House of Representatives by a non-voting delegate, currently Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C. At-Large), HP Pavilion dv7-1001tx Batterywho may sit on committees, participate in debate, and introduce legislation, but cannot vote on the House floor. The District has no representation in the United States Senate. Unlike residents of U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico or Guam, which also have non-voting delegates, D.C. residents are subject to all U.S. federal taxes. HP Pavilion dv7-1001xx Battery [176] In the financial year 2007, D.C. residents and businesses paid $20.4 billion in federal taxes; more than the taxes collected from 19 states and the highest federal taxes per capita.[177] A 2005 poll found that 78% of Americans did not know that residents of the District of Columbia have less representation in Congress than residents of the 50 states. HP Pavilion dv7-1002ea Battery [178] Efforts to raise awareness about the issue have included campaigns by grassroots organizations and the featuring of the city's unofficial motto, "Taxation Without Representation", on D.C. vehicle license plates.[179] There is evidence of nationwide approval for DC voting rights; various polls indicate that 61 to 82% of Americans believe that D.C. HP Pavilion dv7-1002tx Battery should have voting representation in Congress.[178][180] Despite public support, attempts to grant the District voting representation, including the D.C. statehood movement and the proposed District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment, have been unsuccessful. Opponents of D.C. HP Pavilion dv7-1002xx Batteryvoting rights propose that the Founding Fathers never intended for District residents to have a vote in Congress since the Constitution makes clear that representation must come from the states. Those opposed to making D.C. a state claim that such a move would destroy the notion of a separate national capital and that statehood would unfairly grant Senate representation to a single city. HP Pavilion dv7-1003ea Battery [181] Founders Library at Howard University, a historically black university District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) operates the city's 123 public schools.[182] The number of students in DCPS steadily decreased for 39 years until 2009. In the 2010–11 school year, HP Pavilion dv7-1003el Battery 46,191 students were enrolled in the public school system.[183] DCPS has one of the highest-cost yet lowest-performing school systems in the country, both in terms of infrastructure and student achievement.[184] Mayor Adrian Fenty's administration made sweeping changes to the system by closing schools, replacing teachers, HP Pavilion dv7-1003eo Battery firing principals, and using private education firms to aid curriculum development.[185] The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board monitors the 52 public charter schools in the city.[186] Due to the perceived problems with the traditional public school system, enrollment in public charter schools has steadily increased.[187] As of fall 2010, D.C. charter schools had a total enrollment of about 32,000, HP Pavilion dv7-1003tx Batterya 9% increase from the prior year.[183] The District is also home to 92 private schools, which enrolled approximately 18,000 students in 2008.[188] The District of Columbia Public Library operates 25 neighborhood locations including the landmark Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.[189] Private universities include American University (AU), HP Pavilion dv7-1003xx Battery the Catholic University of America (CUA), Gallaudet University, George Washington University (GW), Georgetown University (GU), Howard University, and the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The Corcoran College of Art and Design provides specialized arts instruction and other higher-education institutions offer continuing, HP Pavilion dv7-1004ea Battery distance and adult education. The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is a public university providing undergraduate and graduate education. The District is known for its medical research institutions such as Washington Hospital Center and the Children's National Medical Center, as well as the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, HP Pavilion dv7-1004tx Battery Maryland. In addition, the city is home to three medical schools and associated teaching hospitals at George Washington, Georgetown, and Howard universities.[190] Transportation Main article: Transportation in Washington, D.C. Metro Center is the transfer station for the Red, HP Pavilion dv7-1005ef Battery Orange, and Blue Metrorail lines. According to a 2010 study, Washington-area commuters spent 70 hours a year in traffic delays, which tied with Chicago for having the nation's worst road congestion.[191] However, 37% of Washington-area commuters take public transportation to work, HP Pavilion dv7-1005eg Battery the second-highest rate in the country.[192] An additional 12% of D.C. commuters walked to work, 6% carpooled, and 3% traveled by bicycle in 2010.[193] A 2011 study by Walk Score found that Washington was the seventh-most walkable city in the country with 80% of residents living in neighborhoods that are not car dependentHP Pavilion dv7-1005eo Battery.[194] An extensive network of streets, parkways, and arterial avenues forms the core of the District's surface transportation infrastructure. Due to protests by local residents during the freeway revolts of the 1960s, much of the proposed interstate highway system through the middle of Washington was never built. Interstate 95, the nation's major east coast highway, HP Pavilion dv7-1005es Batterytherefore bends around the District to form the eastern portion of the Capital Beltway. The funds that had been dedicated for additional highway construction were instead redirected to the region's public transportation infrastructure.[195] The interstate highways that do continue into Washington, HP Pavilion dv7-1005tx Batteryincluding Interstate 66 and Interstate 395, both terminate shortly after entering the city. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) operates the Washington Metro, the city's rapid transit system, as well as Metrobus. Both systems serve the District and its suburbs. Metro opened on March 27, HP Pavilion dv7-1006tx Battery 1976 and presently consists of 86 stations and 106.3 miles (171.1 km) of track.[196] With an average of about one million trips each weekday, Metro is the second-busiest rapid transit system in the country. Metrobus serves over 400,000 riders each weekday, making it the nation's sixth-largest bus system.[197] The city also operates its own DC Circulator bus system, HP Pavilion dv7-1007ef Battery which connects commercial areas within central Washington.[198] Union Station is a transportation hub for passengers on Amtrak, commuter rail lines, and the Washington Metro. Union Station is the main train station in Washington, HP Pavilion dv7-1007tx BatteryD.C., and handles approximately 70,000 people each day. It is Amtrak's second-busiest station with 4.6 million passengers annually and serves as the southern terminus for the Northeast Corridor and Acela Express routes. Maryland's MARC and Virginia's VRE commuter trains and the Metrorail Red Line also provide service into Union Station.[199] Expansion plans announced in 2011 will make Union Station the city's primary intercity bus transit center. HP Pavilion dv7-1008ef Battery [200] Three major airports serve the District. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is located across from downtown Washington in Arlington, Virginia and has its own Metrorail station. Given its proximity to the city, Reagan National has extra security precautions required by the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone. HP Pavilion dv7-1008eg Battery [201] Major international flights arrive and depart from Washington Dulles International Airport, located 26.3 miles (42.3 km) west of the District in Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is located 31.7 miles (51.0 km) northeast of the District in Anne Arundel County, HP Pavilion dv7-1008tx Battery Maryland. An expected 32% increase in transit usage within the District by 2030 has spurred construction of a new DC Streetcar system to interconnect the city's neighborhoods.[202] Construction has also started on an additional Metro line that will connect Washington to Dulles airport. HP Pavilion dv7-1009tx Battery [203] The District and adjacent Arlington County launched Capital Bikeshare in September 2010; it is currently one of the largest bicycle sharing systems in the country with over 1,100 bicycles and 110 stations.[204] Marked bicycle lanes currently exist on 48 miles (77 km) of streets and the city plans to further expand the network. HP Pavilion dv7-1010ed Battery [205] The Washington Post The Washington Post is the most widely circulated newspaper published in Washington, D.C., and oldest extant in the area, founded in 1877. Located in the capital city of the United States, HP Pavilion dv7-1010ef BatteryThe Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. Daily editions are printed for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. The newspaper is published as a broadsheet, with photographs printed both in color and in black and white. In 2008, Marcus Brauchli replaced long-time executive editor Leonard Downie, Jr., serving publisher Katharine WeymouthHP Pavilion dv7-1010eg Battery.[3] In the early 1970s, in the best known episode in the recent history of The Post, reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein led the American press's investigation into what became known as the Watergate scandal; reporting in the newspaper greatly contributed to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. In years since, HP Pavilion dv7-1010el Battery its investigations have led to increased review of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.[4] The newspaper is also known as the namesake of "The Washington Post March", which John Phillip Sousa composed in 1889 while he was leading the United States Marine Band;[5] it became the standard music to accompany the two-step, a late 19th-century dance craze. HP Pavilion dv7-1010eo Battery [6] The Post has won 47 Pulitzer Prizes. This includes six separate Pulitzers awarded in 2008, the second-highest number ever given to a single newspaper in one year.[7] The Post has also received 18 Nieman Fellowships and 368 White House News Photographers Association awards, among othersHP Pavilion dv7-1010ep Battery. The newspaper is owned by The Washington Post Company, an education and media company that also owns Kaplan, Inc., and many media ventures besides The Post. Overview The Post is generally regarded as one of the leading daily American newspapers,[8] along with The New York Times, HP Pavilion dv7-1010es Battery which is known for its general reporting and international coverage, and The Wall Street Journal, which is known for its financial reporting. The Post has distinguished itself through its political reporting on the workings of the White House, Congress, and other aspects of the U.S. government. Unlike the Times and the JournalHP Pavilion dv7-1010et Battery, the Post does not print an edition for distribution away from the East Coast. In 2009, the newspaper ceased publication of its "National Weekly Edition", which combined stories from the week's print editions, due to shrinking circulation.[9] The majority of its newsprint readership is in District of Columbia and its suburbs in Maryland and Northern VirginiaHP Pavilion dv7-1010tx Battery.[10] The paper's weekday and Saturday printings include the following sections: Main section, containing the front page, national and international news, business, politics, and editorials and opinions Metro section, containing local news Style section, with feature writing on pop culture, HP Pavilion dv7-1011tx Battery politics, fine and performing arts, film, fashion, and gossip, along with advice columns and comics Sports section Classified advertising Sunday editions largely include the weekday sections as well as Outlook (opinion), Arts, Travel, Comics, HP Pavilion dv7-1012tx BatteryTV Week, and the Washington Post Magazine. The "Sunday Style" section differs slightly from the weekday Style section; it is in a tabloid format, and it houses the reader-written humor contest The Style Invitational. Additional weekly sections appear on weekdays: Health & Science on Tuesday, Food on Wednesday, HP Pavilion dv7-1013tx Battery Local Living (home and garden) on Thursday, and Weekend, with details about upcoming events in the local area, on Friday. The latter two are in a tabloid format. The Washington Post headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Post is one of a few U.S. newspapers with foreign bureaus, located in Baghdad, Bogota, Cairo, Hong Kong, HP Pavilion dv7-1014ca Battery Islamabad, Jerusalem, Kabul, London, Mexico City, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, Paris, Shanghai, Tehran, and Tokyo.[11] In November 2009, it announced the closure of its U.S. regional bureaus — Chicago, Los Angeles and New York — as part of an increased focus on "political stories and local news coverage in Washington." HP Pavilion dv7-1014tx Battery [12] The paper has local bureaus in Maryland (Annapolis, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Southern Maryland) and Virginia (Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Richmond, and Prince William County).[13] As of September 2009, HP Pavilion dv7-1015eg Battery its average weekday circulation was 582,844, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, making it the fifth largest newspaper in the country by circulation, behind USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. While its circulation (like that of almost all newspapers) has been slipping, it has one of the highest market-penetration rates of any metropolitan news dailyHP Pavilion dv7-1015el Battery.[14] The paper is part of The Washington Post Company, a diversified education and media company that also owns educational services provider Kaplan, Inc., Post-Newsweek Stations, Cable One, the online magazine Slate, The Gazette and Southern Maryland Newspapers, and The Herald, HP Pavilion dv7-1015eo Battery a daily paper in Everett, Washington. The company also distributes the free daily Express newspaper in the D.C. area and runs its own syndication service for its columnists and cartoonists, The Washington Post Writers Group.[15] The Post has its main office at 1150 15th St, N.W., and the newspaper has the exclusive ZIP code 20071. HP Pavilion dv7-1015tx Battery [16] [edit]History [edit]Founding and early period The paper was founded in 1877 by Stilson Hutchins and in 1880 added a Sunday edition, thus becoming the city's first newspaper to publish seven days a week. In 1889, Hutchins sold the paper to Frank Hatton, a former Postmaster General, and Beriah Wilkins, HP Pavilion dv7-1016nr Battery a former Democratic congressman from Ohio. To promote the paper, the new owners requested the leader of the Marine Band, John Philip Sousa, to compose a march for the newspaper's essay contest awards ceremony. Sousa composed The Washington Post, which remains one of his best-known works. In 1899, during the Spanish–American War, The Post printed Clifford K. Berryman's classic illustration Remember the Maine, HP Pavilion dv7-1016tx Batterywhich became the battle-cry for American sailors during the War. In 1902, Berryman published another famous cartoon in The Post— "Drawing the Line in Mississippi." This cartoon depicts President Theodore Roosevelt showing compassion for a small bear cub and inspired New York store owner Morris Michtom to create the teddy bear. HP Pavilion dv7-1017eg Battery [17] Wilkins acquired Hatton's share of the paper in 1894 at Hatton's death. After Wilkins' death in 1903, his sons John and Robert ran The Post for two years before selling it in 1905 to John Roll McLean, owner of the Cincinnati Enquirer. During the Wilson presidency, The Post was credited with the "most famous newspaper typo" in D.C. history according to Reason magazine; HP Pavilion dv7-1017tx BatteryThe Post intended to report that President Wilson had been "entertaining" his future-wife Mrs. Galt, but instead wrote that he had been "entering" Mrs. Galt.[18][19] When John McLean died in 1916, he put the paper in trust, having little faith that his playboy son Edward "Ned" McLean could manage his inheritance. Ned went to court and broke the trust, but, under his management, the paper slumped toward ruin. HP Pavilion dv7-1018eg Battery [edit]Meyer-Graham period The Washington Post was purchased in a bankruptcy auction in 1933 by a member of the Federal Reserve's board of governors, Eugene Meyer, who restored the paper's health and reputation. In 1946, HP Pavilion dv7-1018tx BatteryMeyer was succeeded as publisher by his son-in-law Philip Graham. In 1954, The Post consolidated its position by acquiring and merging with its last morning rival, the Washington Times-Herald. (The combined paper would officially be named The Washington Post and Times-Herald until 1973, although the Times-Herald portion of the masthead became less and less prominent after the 1950s.) The merger left The Post with two remaining local competitors, HP Pavilion dv7-1019tx Batterythe afternoon Washington Star (Evening Star) and The Washington Daily News, which merged in 1972 and folded in 1981. The Washington Times, established in 1982, has been a local rival with a circulation (as of 2005) about one-seventh that of The Post.[20] The Monday, July 21, 1969, edition, with the headline "'The Eagle Has Landed' — Two Men Walk on the Moon. HP Pavilion dv7-1020ea Battery" After Graham's death in 1963, control of The Washington Post Company passed to Katharine Graham, his wife and Meyer's daughter. No woman had ever run a nationally prominent newspaper in the United States. She described her own anxiety and lack of confidence based on her gender in her autobiography, HP Pavilion dv7-1020eg Battery and she did not assign duties to her daughter at the paper as she did to her son. She served as publisher from 1969 to 1979 and headed The Washington Post Company into the early 1990s as chairman of the board and CEO. After 1993, she retained a position as chairman of the executive committee until her death in 2001. HP Pavilion dv7-1020el Battery Her tenure is credited with seeing The Post rise in national stature through effective investigative reporting, most notably to ensure that The New York Times did not surpass its Washington reporting of the Pentagon Papers and Watergate scandal. Executive editor Ben Bradlee put the paper's reputation and resources behind reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who, in a long series of articles, HP Pavilion dv7-1020eo Battery chipped away at the story behind the 1972 burglary of Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate Hotel complex in Washington. The Post's dogged coverage of the story, the outcome of which ultimately played a major role in the resignation of President Richard Nixon, won the paper a Pulitzer Prize in 1973HP Pavilion dv7-1020es Battery. In 1972, the "Book World" section was introduced with Pulitzer Prize winning critic William McPherson as its first editor.[21] It featured Pulitzer Prize winning critics such as Jonathan Yardley and Michael Dirda, HP Pavilion dv7-1020ev Battery the latter of whom established his career as a critic at The Post. In 2009, after 37 years, "Book World" as a standalone insert was discontinued, the last issue being Sunday, February 15, 2009.[22] However, book reviews are still published in the Outlook section on Sundays and in the Style section the rest of the week, as well as online. HP Pavilion dv7-1020ew Battery [22] In 1980, The Post published a dramatic story called "Jimmy's World",[23] describing the life of an eight-year-old heroin addict in Washington, for which reporter Janet Cooke won acclaim and a Pulitzer Prize. Subsequent investigation, however, revealed the story to be a fabrication. The Pulitzer Prize was returnedHP Pavilion dv7-1020tx Battery. Donald Graham, Katharine's son, succeeded her as publisher in 1979 and in the early 1990s became both chief executive officer and chairman of the board. He was succeeded in 2000 as publisher and CEO by Boisfeuillet Jones, Jr., with Graham remaining as chairman. HP Pavilion dv7-1020us Battery [edit]Post-Graham period In 1996, the newspaper established a website.[24] In 2010, the paper cited its local focus as a reason for running its first-ever front page advertisement: the Capital One ad was being run to draw attention to the rebranding of Chevy Chase Bank, a bank Capital One bought in 2009. HP Pavilion dv7-1021tx Battery According to the Post's vice president of advertising, the page one advertisement is a "very local, useful-information-for-our-readers type of campaign."[25] [edit]Political stance This article or section may be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective. HP Pavilion dv7-1022tx Battery (June 2009) In the mid-1970s, some conservatives called The Washington Post "Pravda on the Potomac" due to its perceived left-wing bias in both reporting and editorials,[26] This characterization referred to the official newspaper of the Soviet communist party. Since then, the appellation has been used by both liberal and conservative critics of The Post.[27][28] In 1963, HP Pavilion dv7-1023cl BatteryFBI director J. Edgar Hoover reportedly told President Lyndon B. Johnson, "I don't have much influence with The Post because I frankly don't read it. I view it like the Daily Worker."[29][30] As Katharine Graham noted in her autobiography Personal History, the paper long had a policy of not making endorsements for political candidates. However, since at least 2000, The Washington Post has occasionally endorsed Republican politicians, such as Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich. HP Pavilion dv7-1023em Battery [31] In 2006, it repeated its historic endorsements of every Republican incumbent for Congress in Northern Virginia.[32] There have also been times when The Post has specifically chosen not to endorse any candidate, such as in the 1988 presidential election when it refused to endorse then Governor Michael Dukakis or then Vice President George H.W. Bush.[33] On October 17, 2008, HP Pavilion dv7-1023tx BatteryThe Post endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States.[34] The Post's editorial positions on foreign policy and economic issues have seen a definitively conservative bent: it steadfastly supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, warmed to President George W. HP Pavilion dv7-1024el Battery Bush's proposal to partially privatize Social Security, opposed a deadline for U.S. withdrawal from the Iraq War, and advocated free trade agreements, including CAFTA.[citation needed] In "Buying the War" on PBS, Bill Moyers noted 27 editorials supporting George W. Bush's ambitions to invade Iraq. HP Pavilion dv7-1024tx Battery National security correspondent Walter Pincus reported that he had been ordered to cease his reports that were critical of Republican administrations.[35] In 1992, the PBS investigative news program Frontline suggested that The Post had moved to the right in response to its smaller, more conservative rival The Washington Times, which is owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate owned by the Unification Church which also owns newspapers in South Korea, Japan, and South America. HP Pavilion dv7-1025eg Battery The program quoted Paul Weyrich, one of the founders of the conservative activist organization the Moral Majority, as saying "The Washington Post became very arrogant and they just decided that they would determine what was news and what wasn't news and they wouldn't cover a lot of things that went on. And The Washington Times has forced The Post to cover a lot of things that they wouldn't cover if the Times wasn't in existence. HP Pavilion dv7-1025nr Battery"[36] In 2008, Thomas F. Roeser of the Chicago Daily Observer also mentioned competition from the Washington Times as a factor moving The Post to the right.[37] On March 26, 2007, Chris Matthews said on his television program, "Well, The Washington Post is not the liberal newspaper it was, Congressman, let me tell you. I have been reading it for years and it is a neocon newspaper".[38] It has regularly published an ideological mixture of op-ed columnists, some of them left-leaning (including E.J. Dionne, Ezra Klein, HP Pavilion dv7-1025tx BatteryGreg Sargent, and Eugene Robinson), and some on the right (including George Will, Marc Thiessen, Robert Kagan, Robert Samuelson, Michael Gerson, and Charles Krauthammer). In November 2007, The Post was criticized by independent journalist Robert Parry for reporting on anti-Obama chain e-mails without sufficiently emphasizing to its readers the false nature of the anonymous claims. HP Pavilion dv7-1026tx Battery [39] In 2009, Parry criticized The Post for its allegedly unfair reporting on liberal politicians, including Vice President Al Gore and President Barack Obama.[40] In a November 19, 2008 column, The Washington Post ombudsman Deborah Howell stated: "I'll bet that most Post journalists voted for ObamaHP Pavilion dv7-1027ca Battery. I did. There are centrists at The Post as well. But the conservatives I know here feel so outnumbered that they don't even want to be quoted by name in a memo".[41] Responding to criticism of the newspaper's coverage during the run-up to the 2008 presidential election, HP Pavilion dv7-1027tx Battery Howell wrote: "The opinion pages have strong conservative voices; the editorial board includes centrists and conservatives; and there were editorials critical of Obama. Yet opinion was still weighted toward Obama. It's not hard to see why conservatives feel disrespected".HP Pavilion dv7-1028tx Battery