Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

Seattle area became famous for the

manufacture of airplanes and other

high-technology products. Microsoft has

been a major force in the state’s

economy since the 1980s.

..More to explore

Lewis and Clark Expedition • Olympia

• Oregon Trail

The snowy peaks of Washington’s Mount Rainier attract mountain climbers.

Facts About

WASHINGTON

Flag

Population

(2000 census)

5,894,121—

rank, 15th state;

(2008 estimate)

6,549,224—

rank, 13th state

Capital

Olympia

Area

71,300 sq mi

(184,665 sq

km)—rank, 18th

state

Statehood

November 11,

1889

Motto

Alki (By and By)

State bird

American

goldfinch

State flower

Coast

rhododendron

16 Washington BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Washington,

Booker T.

Booker T.Washington was an educator

who spoke for many African Americans

during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Washington taught that hard work and

patience were the best ways for them to

improve their lives.

Booker TaliaferroWashington was born

into slavery in Franklin County, Virginia,

on April 5, 1856.Washington and

his mother gained their freedom in

1865, after the end of the American

CivilWar. They moved to Malden,West

Virginia. At age 9Washington started

working to help support the family.

Washington taught himself the alphabet

and studied at a local school. He later

attended the Hampton Normal and

Agricultural Institute. After graduating

in 1875 he became a teacher.

In 1881 Washington was selected to

head a new school for African

Americans in Alabama. The school was

called the Tuskegee Normal and

Industrial Institute. It had few students,

only two buildings, and very little

money. By 1915 Washington had built

the institute into a university with

about 1,500 students and almost 200

teachers.

During this time, although slavery had

ended, African Americans still did not

have the same rights that white people

had.Washington wanted African Americans

to win the respect of whites by

learning farming skills and trades, such

as brickmaking, mattress making, and

wagon building. This, he said, would

gradually break down the divisions

between the two races.

Washington had many African American

followers, but W.E.B. Du Bois and

other leaders disagreed with him. These

leaders believed that African Americans

should protest and fight directly for

more rights.

Many whites admired and honored

Washington. He became one of the

most powerful African American leaders

of his time. Washington died in

Tuskegee, Alabama, on November 14,

1915.

#More to explore

African Americans • Du Bois,W.E.B.

Booker T.

Washington

told his own

story in a

famous book

titled Up from

Slavery.

Booker T. Washington

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Washington, Booker T. 17

 

Washington,

D.C.

Population

(2000 census),

city, 572,059;

(2007

estimate),

588,292

The city of Washington is the capital of

the United States, a country in North

America. It was named after George

Washington, the country’s first president.

He helped plan the city.

Washington is not part of a state.

Rather, it is in a separate district called

the District of Columbia. The city is

thus known asWashington, D.C. The

city and the district take up the same

space.

Washington lies on the Potomac River.

The state of Maryland surrounds the

city on all other sides. The state of Virginia

lies across the river fromWashington

to the southwest.

Places of Interest

The most important U.S. government

buildings are arranged around a broad

lawn inWashington called the Mall.

These buildings include the Capitol,

where U.S. laws are made, and the

White House, where the U.S. president

lives. The city also has more than 300

monuments and statues. Among them

are memorials honoring war veterans

and former U.S. presidents George

Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and

Thomas Jefferson.

The Smithsonian Institution operates

many large national museums inWashington.

The city is also home to the

world’s largest library, the Library of

Congress.

Economy

The economy ofWashington depends

heavily on government activity and tourism.

The U.S. government is the largest

employer. Many large national and

international organizations also have

headquarters in the city. Business services,

research, law, health care, and

other services are also important.

History

Washington is one of the world’s few

cities built to be a national capital.

GeorgeWashington chose its location in

1790. An engineer named Pierre-

Charles L’Enfant designed the city.

The U.S. government offices were

moved toWashington in 1800. During

theWar of 1812 British troops burned

The U.S. Congress meets in a building

called the Capitol. The Capitol sits on Capitol

Hill in Washington, D.C.

18 Washington, D.C. BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

the White House and other buildings in

Washington. They were rebuilt.

The population ofWashington doubled

after the American CivilWar ended in

1865. Many freed slaves moved to the

city. In the 1900s the city continued to

grow.

In 2001 terrorists crashed airplanes into

buildings outsideWashington and in

New York City. Many people were

killed. After that the United States

increased security around many government

buildings.

#More to explore

Congress of the United States • United

States • United States Government