Qing Bao lives at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, so this report is about her own hometown. Watch the cartoon, then read the facts below and try the pop quiz.
Qing Bao's Hometown Report: Washington, D.C.3:10 · Captions on screen · Sound on 🔊
At a glance
Quick facts about Washington, D.C.
What it is
A federal district, not a state
Full name
District of Columbia
U.S. capital since
1800
Size
About 68 square miles
People
About 700,000
Neighbors
Maryland and Virginia
Official bird
Wood thrush
Official flower
American Beauty rose
Official tree
Scarlet oak
Official dinosaur
Capitalsaurus
Motto
Justitia Omnibus ("Justice for All")
Famous resident
Qing Bao the panda!
The full report
Everything Qing Bao learned
Where is it?
Where is Washington, D.C.?
Washington, D.C. is on the East Coast of the United States. Here's a surprise: D.C. is NOT a state!
What does D.C. mean?
D.C. stands for District of Columbia. A district is a special area that isn't part of any state. It belongs to the whole country, because it's the capital of the United States.
Small but important
D.C. sits on the Potomac River, between Maryland and Virginia. It's only about 68 square miles. That's even smaller than Rhode Island!
Lots of neighbors
About 700,000 people live in D.C. That's more people than live in the whole state of Wyoming or Vermont!
History
A brand-new capital
In 1790, Congress decided to build a brand-new capital city on the Potomac River. George Washington picked the spot: a square, 10 miles on each side.
Planning the city
Pierre L'Enfant designed the city, with wide avenues and big traffic circles. Andrew Ellicott and Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught Black astronomer and mathematician, surveyed the land.
Moving in
In 1800, the U.S. government moved to its new home in D.C. President John Adams became the first president to live in the White House.
Not a diamond anymore
In 1846, the land on the Virginia side of the Potomac was given back to Virginia. That's why D.C. isn't a perfect diamond anymore!
A gift of friendship
In 1912, the city of Tokyo, Japan, gave D.C. about 3,000 cherry trees as a gift of friendship. Every spring, crowds come to see them bloom!
Symbols
Official bird
The official bird is the wood thrush. It's famous for its flute-like song, which sounds like "ee-oh-LAY!"
Flower and tree
The official flower is the American Beauty rose and the official tree is the scarlet oak.
Flag and motto
The flag has three red stars and two red bars. The design comes from George Washington's family coat of arms! The motto is "Justitia Omnibus." That's Latin for "Justice for All."
Official dinosaur?!
And D.C. even has an official dinosaur: Capitalsaurus! Not many places can say that!
Famous Places
The U.S. Capitol
Congress meets at the U.S. Capitol to make the country's laws.
The Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is 555 feet tall. It's the tallest structure in D.C. Look closely: it's two colors! Building stopped for over 20 years, and the new stone didn't quite match.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world! It holds millions of books, maps and recordings.
Qing Bao's Home
The National Zoo
The Smithsonian runs many free museums, and the National Zoo, which opened in 1889. And guess who lives there now? Qing Bao and Bao Li!
Pandas in D.C.
Giant pandas first came to the zoo in 1972. In 2013, a cub named Bao Bao was born right here at the zoo and she's Bao Li's mom! Bao Li and Qing Bao arrived in 2024.
Pop quiz
Test yourself
Pick an answer, then open the box to check.
Is Washington, D.C. a state?
Yes
No, it's a district
Only on weekends
Show the answer
B: No, it's a district. D.C. is the District of Columbia, a special area that isn't part of any state.
Which country gave D.C. its famous cherry trees?
Japan
France
Canada
Show the answer
A: Japan. The city of Tokyo sent them in 1912 as a gift of friendship.
What is D.C.'s official dinosaur?
T. rex
Capitalsaurus
Panda-saurus
Show the answer
B: Capitalsaurus. Panda-saurus was a good guess, though.
For teachers and families
You're welcome to show this cartoon in class or share it with students. It's free under CC BY 4.0; just credit “Qing Bao Fan Club, qingbaofans.com.” The captions are on screen, so it works with the sound off too.