1) On May 11, 1801, the District of Columbia officially became the capital of the United States. The city was created from land ceded by Maryland and Virginia, and named after George Washington.
2) On May 11, 1861, Union troops under the command of General Benjamin F. Butler occupied the city of Alexandria, Virginia, which was part of the District of Columbia at the time. This was one of the early actions in the American Civil War, and led to Alexandria being firmly under Union control for the remainder of the conflict.
3) May 11, 1908 marked the opening of the first section of the Washington Metro, a rapid transit system that now serves the entire Washington metropolitan area. The initial segment consisted of 13 stations on the Red Line, and offered a faster and more convenient way for commuters and tourists to get around the city.
4) In 1936, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a landmark decision in the case of Curtiss-Wright Corporation v. United States. The ruling upheld broad executive powers in foreign affairs, with the Court stating that "the president alone has the power to speak or listen as a representative of the nation" in dealing with other countries. The decision had important implications for U.S. foreign policy in the years to come.
5) Finally, on May 11, 1981, the District of Columbia Home Rule Act took effect, granting the city greater autonomy and self-government. This gave local officials more control over areas like taxation, criminal justice, and education, and was seen as an important step in the evolution of Washington, D.C. as a distinct political entity.
5 Fun Facts About May 11 In District Of Columbia History
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