Is Washington D.C. A State In America?

No. Besides the cherry trees and stunning architecture, a visitor to Washington D.C. might notice the licence plates that read 'Taxation without Representation'. It's not a reference to the historical issue that brought about the Revolutionary War between Britain and America. Rather, the licence plates are a protest to the current status of Washington D.C. as an administrative district, and not part of any state. As such, D.C. doesn't have voting powers in Congress, nor in the Senate. Residents, do, however, vote for the President and pay local and federal taxes. Washington D.C. is the only national capital in the world in which its citizens do not have the same voting rights as other citizens in the country.

Smaller than any American state, Washington D.C. was intended as an administrative centre for the country. Columbia was a poetic name for the United States in the 1700's, and D.C. stands for District of Columbia. The city is also the namesake of the first president, George Washington. However, out of modesty, he preferred to call it 'the Federal City'.

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