3. Congress consists of two chambers: The Senate and the House of Representatives. From the Capitol to the White House runs Pennsylvania Avenue used for all processions and parades. Not far from the Capitol is the library of Congress, the largest library in the states. It contains more than 13 million books, more than 19 million manuscripts, including the personal papers of the US presidents. The White House is the official residence of the US President. He works in the Oval Office.The White House has 132 rooms. This house was first occupied in 1800. George Washington died in 1799 and he did not live in that House. John Adams was the first President who lived in that House. There is the Pentagon in Washington. It is a building and it was built between 1941-43. Now it is the US military centre. A lot of people work there. There are many beautiful parks and gardens in Washington. It is interesting to see the famous cherry trees. These are the gift from Japan. They were brought there in 1912.

4. History After The American Revolution the United States needed a capital city. The selection of the site resulted from a compromise. Various cities and sections of the country wanted the honor of being the nation's capital. It was finally decided to create a new city. Congress passed a bill in 1790 giving permission for a site to be chosen. It was to be somewhere near the Potomac River and not over ten miles square (25, 9 square kilometers). The land was to be called the District of Columbia, after the Columbus; and the city to be built on it was to be named Washington, in honor of the country's first president. In 1971 George Washington chose the place where the city now stands. He thought it was a good location because the Potomac River was deep enough for ships to come as far as the city. The land was given to the federal government by the states of Maryland and Virginia. President Washington chose a brilliant French engineer and architect, Major Pierre L'Enfant, to design the new city. The plan called for broadavenues lined with trees, beautiful government buildings, and monuments to honor great men. By 1800 the president's house was nearly completed. The Capitol was built on a hill, renamed Capitol Hill, for the building in which Congress was to meet. In 1800 President John Adams and other members of government moved to the new federal city - Washington.

5. G. Washington, the 1-st president of the US, was born on a plantation in Virginia, on February 22, 1732. At the death of his father, George, who was then 11 years old, was left along with his brother Lawrence, and sister in the care of his mother. He went to a little country school, where he learned to read and to do sums in arithmetic. Lawrence married Miss Fairfax, whose father lived in Virginia and was a relative of lord Fairfax, a rich land owner of the colony. When George was 14 years of age, Lawrence took him to visit lord Fairfax. They became great friends. Lord Fairfax had been told that people were settling on his land, hundred miles or so west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Washington was then 16, and had some knowledge of surveying; so Fairfax employed him to go over the mountains and measure the land and establish the boundary lines. Washington did his work so well that the Governor of Virginia afterward employed him as public surveyor for the colony.

6. A little later the French tried to establish themselves west of the Allegheny Mountains, they began to build forts along the rivers. The Governor of Virginia gave Washington, who was then 21 years old, the military title of major and sent him to order the French to leave this territory. Washington was a strong man, and he made his way safely to the French headquarters. When the answer was brought back to the Governor of Virginia, Washington was made colonel and sent out with an army of one hundred and 550 men to drive the French from the territory near the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. Shortly after the war ended the people of all the colonies formed a new nation, preserving the colonies, however, as independent states for certain functions of government. By common consent they saluted George Washington to be the first president, recognizing him as preeminent among his fellow-countrymen, as well as relying on his hand to quite them in their new venture in government. The verdict of his fellow-countrymen has been approved by the judgement of history. He was, as Henry said of him at the time of his death, "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen". In addition to commemorating the birth of the US' first President, Washington's birthday is great day for shoppers. The department stores of Washington D. C. started a national tradition of sales marked by unusual bargains. It is not a national holiday. Many schools, offices and banks close for this day, some stay open. The US congress observes the birthday of G. Washington with speeches and readings from his works.

7. The Capitol The seat of the US Congress is situated in Washington D. C. (District of Columbia), and is located on a plateau about 30 meters above the level of the Potomac River. The building got its name from the temple in Rome. The construction of the Capitol in Washington D. C., was begun in 1793. The Capitol consists of a central Building, which is crowned by a great dome with the Statue of Freedom on its top. The statue is of bronze and was put in its present position in 1863. The central building is connected at each end by galleries with a large wing, one of which contains the Chamber of the Senate, and the other - Hall of the House of Representatives. Beneath the dome there is a large monumental hall called the Rotunda where you can see works of art describing American history, and sculptures of famous Americans.

8. The rooms for public functions are on the first floor; the 2nd and 3rd floors are used as the residence of the President and His Family. The most famous public room is the East Room, where public receptions take place. Other public rooms are the Red Room, the Green Room, and the Blue Room. The State Dinning room, where as many as 54 persons can sit at a table, is used for official dinners. There are 132 rooms in the White House. The Oval Office, which is the President's Office, is in the west wing of the White House. It is also used figuratively, meaning "the US Presidency". The official residence of the president is at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D. C. The place covering 7 hectares of land was chosen by president Washington and Pierre L'Enfant, the French engineer who planned the city of Washington. The first cornerstone was laid in 1792, and the first president who moved into the White House in 1800 was John Adams.