1. In 1818, the first public school was established in Washington D.C. In 1817, seven citizens volunteered to become school commissioners and created a system of public education for the benefit of the city. The first school was called the Lancasterian School and was located on First Street between B and C Streets.

2. In 1837, the City of Washington officially became a part of the District of Columbia. The city was originally founded in 1791 as the capital of the United States but was only a city until it was incorporated into the District.

3. In 1871, Congress passed the District of Columbia Organic Act, which gave the District its first government. The act abolished the Office of the Mayor and created a new government consisting of a governor, a council, and a board of public works.

4. In 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall. The memorial, which was designed by architect Henry Bacon, honors President Abraham Lincoln and is one of the most visited sites in Washington D.C.

5. In 1974, the District of Columbia Home Rule Act was signed into law by President Richard Nixon. The act gave the District the ability to elect its own mayor and city council and granted limited authority over its own fiscal affairs.