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TheWhiteHouse: CenterofPower, HomeforFamilies
11/04/2013
ActorRichardRoundtreewasafamousmovestarinthe 1970s. Now, fewpeoplerecognizehim.
WelcometoThisIsAmericafromVOALearningEnglish. I’mSteveEmber.
AndI'mKellyJeanKelly. Thisweekonourprogram, welookatthehistoryoftheWhiteHouse, thepresident’shomeinWashington, DC.
WhenAmerica’sfirstpresident, GeorgeWashington, enteredofficein 1789, thenation’scapitalwasinPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania. ButWashingtonandotherlawmakersagreedtomovethecapitalsouth.
In 1790, WashingtonsignedanactofCongresstoestablishthefederalgovernmentintheDistrictofColumbia. ThestatesofVirginiaandMarylanddonatedtheareas. GeorgeWashingtonandFrenchurbanplannerPierreL’Enfantchosethesiteforthenewpresidentialhome.
Acompetitiontookplacetofindadesigner. AnarchitectnamedJamesHobanfromIrelandwonthecompetition. Heproposedabuildingmodeledonawealthyman’shouseinDublin. Today, thatbuilding—calledLeinsterHouse—iswheretheIrishParliamentmeets.
JamesHobanoriginallysuggestedthehousebethreestories. ButGeorgeWashingtonchangedthedesigntotwostories. Hewasworriedthegovernmentquarrywouldnothaveenoughstoneforboththepresident’shouseandabuildingforCongress.