United States Capitol facts for kids
A capital is a city where a country's government is located. A capitol is a special building where the government's lawmakers meet. The United States Capitol is the building where the United States Congress meets. Congress is the part of the U.S. government that makes laws.
It is located in Washington, D.C., on a place called Capitol Hill. This building is at the east end of the National Mall, a famous park area.
The Capitol has a large dome in its center. Underneath the dome is a round, open space called the Rotunda. Two main parts, called wings, are connected to the Rotunda. The north wing is where the Senate meets. The south wing is where the House of Representatives meets. These wings are also known as chambers. On the upper floors of these chambers are balconies, called galleries. People can sit in these galleries to watch the Senate and House meetings.
The Statue of Freedom stands proudly on top of the Capitol dome.
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) |
History of the Capitol Building
The first capital city of the United States was New York City. From 1785 to 1790, Congress met there in a building called City Hall. Then, the capital moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From 1790 to 1800, Congress met in the Philadelphia County Building. In 1800, the capital moved again to Washington, D.C.. A new Capitol building was built there.
The Capitol was designed by a person named William Thornton. Building work started in 1793. However, it took almost 20 years for it to be fully finished. The Senate started using their wing of the Capitol in 1800. The House of Representatives began meeting in their wing in 1807. Their wing was not fully ready until 1811.
At first, the Capitol was smaller than it is today. The dome in the middle was made of wood and was not as large. In 1814, during the War of 1812, the British Army set the Capitol on fire.
In the 1850s and 1860s, the Capitol was fully repaired. The old wooden dome was replaced with a much larger iron dome. Many murals were painted on the walls of the Senate wing. These paintings showed important moments in American history. A large fresco was also painted on the ceiling inside the Rotunda during these repairs.
The Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the U.S., also met in the Capitol. They stayed there until their own building was finished in 1935.
The Capitol Dome is very heavy, weighing about 8,909,200 pounds (4,009 tonnes). It is made of cast-iron and has 108 windows. It was built between 1855 and 1866.
On January 6, 2021, a large group of people entered the Capitol building. This event caused the building to be put on lockdown for safety.
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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In 1922, the US Post Office featured the US Capitol on a US Postage stamp.
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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
