| Washington, D.C.: George Washington not only served as the
namesake for the capital city of the United States, he also chose its
location, perhaps envisioning the transportation possibilities that
the Potomac River flowing past the site would provide. Early on, the
city saw conflict; in the War of 1812, British forces invaded and
burned several public buildings. The Civil War marked the beginning
of the city’s transformation from a provincial town to a world center
of culture, history, and political energy during the 20th century.
According to the Census Bureau, the District of Columbia, which
comprises the city of Washington, supported a population of more than
half a million inhabitants in 2003. This picture was taken as the
International Space Station passed over the western border of
Maryland and West Virginia. The resolution and spatial coverage of
this image are similar to the 15-meter-per-pixel data obtained by
sensors onboard the Landsat 7 and Terra satellites. Recognizable in
this image are the Capitol Building, the Washington Monument (and its
shadow), and the Lincoln Memorial, along the northeast bank of the
Potomac River. |
