Description
From the burning of the White House to Civil Rights marches, Native American curses to Elvis encounters, It Happened in Washington, D.C., gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the characters and episodes from the history of our nations capital. Here youll read about the burning of Washington during the war of 1812 and the mysterious bequest by a British scientist that was responsible for the founding of the Smithsonian Institution. Youll also meet the pro-slavery senator who took a cane to his abolitionist colleague and the Alaskan mail carrier who was celebrated at the White House. Many of the people and events from Washington, D.C.s, past are well known, but many are not. Do you know that the original designer of the city, Pierre LEnfant, almost brought the project to its knees when he was fired - and ran off with the plans? Or that the U.S. Capitol, the embodiment of democracy, was built by slaves? Do you know why it took 164 years before residents of D.C. were allowed to vote in a national election? Or how thousands of women suffragists almost upstaged Woodrow Wilsons inauguration? In an easy-to-read style thats entertaining and informative, author Gina De Angelis recounts some of the most captivating moments from Washington, D.C.s, history.
