美国建国后对首都的位置发生了争执。北方希望将首都定在纽约。而南方希望将首都定于南方。最终美国南北双方作出让步,在美国南方离北方不远的地方新建一个城市作为美国的首都。地理位置是由詹姆斯·麦迪逊和亚历山大·汉密尔顿在托马斯·杰斐逊邀请的一次晚宴上讨论出来的。当时的“联邦城”(英语:the federal city)规划为一个面积100平方英里的菱形区域。其位于波多马克河上的实际地点是由华盛顿总统决定的,华盛顿本人还建议美国首都称为“联邦市”。但是1791年9月9日美国首都被命名为华盛顿市。华盛顿本人尽管居住在离华盛顿不远的弗农山庄,但在1799年逝世前华盛顿本人很少到访这个以他为名的都市
After the founding of the United States on the location of the capital dispute. The North wants to set the capital in New York. And the South wants the capital to be in the south. In the end, the two sides of the United States made concessions to build a new city in the south of the United States as the capital of the United States. The location was discussed by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton at a dinner party at Thomas Jefferson's invitation. At that time, the "federal city" (English: Federal City the) planning for an area of 100 square miles of the diamond area. In the actual location of the Potomac River is decided by the president of the Washington, Washington himself also suggested the capital of the United States known as the "federal city". But in September 9, 1791 the United States was named Washington. Washington himself, despite living in the not far from Washington, Vernon hills, but in 1799 before the death of Washington I rarely visit this city in his name
华盛顿是由法裔美国建筑师朗方(Pierre Charles L'Enfant)规划的,朗方还设计过纽约的联邦大厅。当时的规划是基于马车作为基本交通工具为基础的,因此华盛顿的道路系统并不适合现代汽车交通系统。目前华盛顿被认为是美国道路交通条件最差的城市。
Washington is planned by the French born American architect L'Enfant (Pierre Charles L'Enfant), Lang Fang also design a Federal Hall in New York. At that time, the planning is based on the carriage as the basic means of transport, so the road system in Washington is not suitable for modern vehicle transportation system. At present, Washington is considered to be the worst of the road traffic conditions in the city of the city.