The choice of the Potomac for the nation's capital was controversial. While everyone agreed that a central location was necessary, regional interests surfaced as congressmen recognized its potential economic and political benefits. They also debated the question of the temporary capital. Should New York City or Philadelphia host the federal government until the permanent site was ready? The

complicated negotiations over funding and assumption resulted in moving the temporary capital from New York to Philadelphia as well as locating the new city on the Potomac. President Washington and his fellow Virginians supervised the development of the capital. The Residence Act of 1790 gave the president authority to select a ten-mile square location somewhere along the Potomac; he chose the land on both sides of the river that included Alexandria, Virginia, and Georgetown, Maryland. The federal city would be built in neither of those towns, but on open land on the east bank of the river. Washington appointed a surveyor, three commissioners to manage the project, and Pierre Charles L'Enfant to design the layout of the capital and its major buildings. L'Enfant's grandiose street plan and Greek and Roman architecture expressed an exalted vision of the republic. The commissioners named the federal city "Washington" and the entire district "Columbia." The president expected to finance construction by selling lots in the capital, thinking that land prices would skyrocket as citizens valued proximity to the seat of government. Instead, land sold poorly and lack of money undermined the project. At one of the failed auctions, even the participation of the president and a parade of two brass bands and an artillery troop could not foster sales. When the commissioners suspended construction temporarily for insufficient funds, L'Enfant protested and was fired. His plan for grand boulevards, public squares, fountains, and imposing buildings was retained, but its execution would wait. For a decade the enterprise limped along, saved by grants from Maryland and Virginia. In 1800, when the government moved to Washington, the president's mansion was still unfinished and only one wing of the Capitol had been built. According to the passage, L'Enfant was fired because

a. he disagreed with George Washington about the design of the city.
b. he became extremely ill and missed many weeks of work.
c. he protested the temporary suspension of construction of the city.
d. he wanted a different name for the capital.


c

Language Arts & World Languages

You might also like to view...

L’université de Saint-Louis est plus prestigieuse que _______________ de Dakar.

Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Language Arts & World Languages

Read each paragraph and choose the letter of the main idea

Emergency medical services in many cities have begun advising 911 callers to give a person who has collapsed chest compressions but not mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. In emergencies, lives are generally saved or lost in the first six minutes, so trying to explain mouth-to-mouth procedures to callers was wasting precious time and doing more harm than good. In addition, new research suggests that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is not effective in the first few minutes after a collapse. Therefore, emergency medical dispatchers are explaining to untrained callers only how to perform chest compressions to mimic2 a steady heartbeat until paramedics can arrive. Adapted from Robert Davis, "Simpler Method for CPR Adopted," USA Today, February 24, 2004, 1A. Main Idea: a. Many emergency medical services dispatchers are no longer explaining to callers how to give a victim mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. b. Emergency medical services are advising people not to try to save someone who has collapsed. c. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is very difficult to perform properly. d. Research has shown that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation does more harm than good.

Language Arts & World Languages

Mario asked for a (piece, peace) of pie after dinner.

Select the letter of the correct word for each sentence. A) piece B) peace

Language Arts & World Languages

Dos razones por el clima económico esperanzador son ________________________ .

What will be an ideal response?

Language Arts & World Languages