Washington, DC, or the District of Colombia was established by the Constitution of the United States to serve as the nation’s capital. Founded in 1790, the capital has been a dynamic city with many highs and lows in American history. President George Washington chose the location along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers after both Maryland and Virginia ceded land to this new “district,” distinguished from the rest of the states. A grid system was planned at which the center would be the Capitol building.