The correct answer is 1790.
Washington, D.C. was officially founded on July 16, 1790, following the passage of the Residence Act. This legislation was the result of a political compromise to establish a permanent national capital that was independent of any single state.
The Founding Process:
- Constitutional Authority: Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district (not exceeding 10 miles square) to become the seat of the government.
- The Compromise of 1790: Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison reached an agreement where the federal government would assume states' Revolutionary War debts in exchange for placing the capital in the South.
- Site Selection: George Washington chose the specific site along the Potomac River, which included the existing ports of Georgetown and Alexandria.
Moving the Government:
Although founded in 1790, it took time to design and build the necessary infrastructure.
- L'Enfant Plan: Pierre Charles L'Enfant was commissioned to design the city's layout, featuring wide avenues and open spaces.
- The Big Move: The federal government officially moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., in 1800, during the presidency of John Adams.
Comparison of the Options:
- 1891: By this time, Washington, D.C. was already a century old and undergoing major expansion during the Gilded Age.
- 1790: The correct answer; the year the legal foundation for the district was established.
- 1691: This was during the colonial era, nearly a century before the United States became an independent nation.
- 1091: This dates back to the Middle Ages, long before the European discovery of the Americas.
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