United States Capitol facts for kids
- A capital is a city that is home to a government. A capitol is a building where the legislature meets. For the capital of the United States, see Washington, D.C.
Quick facts for kids United States Capitol |
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The west front of the U.S. Capitol in September 2013, facing toward the National Mall.
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | American neoclassic |
| Town or city | Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 38°53′23″N 77°00′32″W / 38.88972°N 77.00889°W |
| Construction started | September 18, 1793 |
| Completed | 1800 (first occupation) 1962 (last extension) |
| Client | Washington administration |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 5 |
| Floor area | 16.5 acres (67,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Thornton, designer (see Architect of the Capitol) |
The United States Capitol is the building where the United States Congress meets. It is the center of the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. It is in Washington, D.C., on top of Capitol Hill at the east end of the National Mall.
The capitol has a large dome in the center, above a rotunda—a large space that is shaped like a circle. There are two wings that are connected to the rotunda on opposite sides. The north wing is where the Senate meets and the south wing is where the House of Representatives meets. These wings are also called chambers. On the top floors of the chambers are galleries, or balconies where people can watch the Senate and House of Representatives from above.
The Statue of Freedom is on top of the capitol.
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History
The first capital city of the United States was New York City. At this time, Congress met in City Hall (Federal Hall) from 1785 to 1790. When the capital was moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1790 to 1800, the Philadelphia County Building (Congress Hall) became the capitol. In 1800, the capital moved again to Washington, D.C., and a new capitol building was built.
The capitol was designed by William Thornton. Construction started in 1793, but it was not completely finished until almost twenty years later. The Senate started to meet in the capitol in 1800, when the Senate wing was finished. The House started to meet in the capitol in 1807, even though the House wing was not finished until 1811.
At that time, it was not as big as it is now. The dome in the center of the building was smaller and made of wood. In 1814, the capitol was set on fire by the British Army during the War of 1812. In the 1850s and 1860s, the capitol was fully repaired, and the wooden dome was replaced with a larger iron dome. The walls of the Senate wing were painted with many murals about events in American History. Inside the rotunda, a large fresco was also painted on the ceiling during the repair.
The Supreme Court also met in the Capitol until its own building was completed in 1935.
The Capitol Dome is 8,909,200 pounds (4,009 tonnes) of cast-iron with 108 windows, and was constructed between 1855 and 1866.
On January 6, 2021, supporters of US President Donald Trump stormed into the capitol. This caused a lockdown in the building.
Books
Images for kids
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The east front of the United States Capitol (2013 view)
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Design for the U.S. Capitol, "An Elevation for a Capitol", by James Diamond was one of many submitted in the 1792 contest, but not selected.
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The winning design for the U.S. Capitol, submitted by William Thornton
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The Capitol when first occupied by Congress (painting circa 1800 by William Russell Birch)
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The Capitol from Pennsylvania Avenue as it stood before 1814 (drawn from memory by an unknown artist after the burning)
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The Capitol after the August 1814 burning of Washington, D.C., by the British, during the War of 1812 (painting 1814 by George Munger)
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Daguerreotype of east side of the Capitol in 1846, by John Plumbe, showing Bulfinch's dome
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The earliest known interior photograph of the Capitol, taken in 1860 and showing the new House of Representatives chamber
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The Washington Depot with the U.S. Capitol in the distance (1872 view)
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National Capitol Columns at the National Arboretum (2008 view)
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Capitol Rotunda (2013 view)
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The Apotheosis of Washington, the 1865 fresco painted by Constantino Brumidi on the interior of the Capitol's dome (2005 view)
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Capitol Rotunda (2005 view)
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Declaration of Independence (1819), by John Trumbull
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National Statuary Hall Collection viewed from the south
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Capitol Crypt
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President George W. Bush delivering the annual State of the Union address in the House chamber
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US Senate chamber (circa 1873 view)
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A 2007 aerial view of the Capitol Grounds from the west
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The body of former President Ronald Reagan lying in state in June 2004
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The Capitol at night (2006 view)
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The opening ceremony of the Capitol Visitor Center in December 2008. The plaster cast model of the Statue of Freedom is in the foreground.
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See also
In Spanish: Capitolio de los Estados Unidos para niños
