Audio Guide: Washington D.C. Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Washington D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia or simply The District, is the capital of the United States and, in many senses, America’s front yard. After the American Revolution, the need for the newly independent nation's federal government to have authority over a capital city and not rely on any state for its maintenance and safety, came in the wake of the Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 during which soldiers had besieged Congress then met in Philadelphia.

The new seat of government was founded in 1791, built on the north bank of the Potomac River on the land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, and was named in honor of George Washington, the first president of the United States and a Founding Father. The federal district was named Columbia (a feminine form of "Columbus"), a poetic name for the United States commonly used at that time, and included pre-existing settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria. It was thus not a part of any U.S. state.

In the 1830s, the depressed economy of Alexandria, heavily reliant on slave trade, prompted residents to petition Virginia to take back its land donated to the D.C., out of fear that abolitionists in Congress would end slavery. In 1846 Congress agreed to return all the ceded Virginian territory, so today the District of Columbia consists only of the portion originally donated by Maryland.

The outbreak of Civil War in 1861 led to the expansion of the federal government and notable growth in the District's population, including a large influx of freed slaves. The District was the first city in the nation to undergo urban renewal projects as part of the "City Beautiful movement" in the early 1900s. Increased federal spending in the 1930s led to the construction of new government buildings, memorials, and museums. World War II further increased government activity, adding to the number of federal employees in the capital.

Today, outside the imposing neoclassical buildings, including the iconic ones housing the federal government’s three branches: the Capitol, White House and Supreme Court, Washington D.C. is renowned for its world-class museums, memorials, beautiful gardens and arts venues. American capital is one of the most visited cities in the world, with more than 20 million tourists annually, and as such is a place unlike any other. Take this self-guided walk to discover the capital city of the United States.