On This Day in 1793, U.S. President George Washington Lays Capitol Cornerstone Setting Foundation of Our Democracy

On September 18, 1793, U.S. President George Washington lays the cornerstone of the United States Capitol building, the home of the legislative branch of the American government.

In these days of disrespect and contempt for our system of government and the January 6th attacks incited by former President and America’s Biggest Sore Loser Donald Trump, we can do well when reminding ourselves that our first U.S. President George Washington, widely considered by historians to be one of our top leaders, if not, our greatest leader, General, laid down the foundation of our democracy by placing the final cornerstone of our great U.S. Capitol.

The building would take nearly a century to complete, as architects came and went, the British set fire to it and it was called into use during the Civil War. Today, the Capitol building, with its famous cast-iron dome and important collection of American art, is part of the Capitol Complex, which includes six Congressional office buildings and three Library of Congress buildings, all developed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

As a young nation, the United States had no permanent capital, and Congress met in eight different cities, including Baltimore, New York, and Philadelphia, before 1791. In 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which gave President Washington the power to select a permanent home for the federal government.