Washington, District of Columbia

1963March on Washington: 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his 'I Have a Dream' speech, the defining oratory of the civil rights movement.

1814British Burn Washington: British forces captured and burned major government buildings including the White House and Capitol during the War of 1812. It remains the only time a foreign power has occupied the American capital.

1865Lincoln Assassinated at Ford's Theatre: President Abraham Lincoln was shot by actor John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford's Theatre on April 14. He died the next morning, five days after the Civil War effectively ended.

2021January 6 Capitol Breach: Supporters of President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol during the certification of the 2020 election results. The breach resulted in deaths, hundreds of arrests, and a second impeachment of the president.

1790Washington D.C. Established: The Residence Act of 1790 created a new federal district on the Potomac River. Pierre Charles L'Enfant designed the city's grand plan of radiating avenues and monumental spaces.

1968Riots After MLK Assassination: Following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, four days of rioting devastated Washington's U Street corridor and other neighborhoods. The destruction scarred the city for decades.

1922Lincoln Memorial Dedicated: The Lincoln Memorial was completed on the National Mall, becoming one of America's most iconic monuments and the backdrop for some of the nation's most important moments.

1974Watergate Scandal: The Watergate break-in at the DNC headquarters and subsequent cover-up led to President Nixon's resignation — the only presidential resignation in American history.

1862Emancipation in DC: Washington D.C. abolished slavery nine months before the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing 3,100 enslaved people. It was the only compensated emancipation in U.S. history.

2001Pentagon Attacked on September 11: American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon just across the Potomac from Washington, killing 184 people as part of the coordinated September 11 attacks.