Why is the White House important to Americans?
The White House is where the President and First Family of the United States live and work — but it's also the People's House, where we hope all Americans feel a sense of inclusion and belonging.
What is the meaning of White House in America?
Definition of White House 1 : a residence of the president of the U.S. 2 : the executive department of the U.S. government.
What makes the White House so special?
From the Ground Floor Corridor rooms, transformed from their early use as service areas, to the State Floor rooms, where countless leaders and dignitaries have been entertained, the White House is both the home of the President of the United States and his or her family, and a living museum of American history.
Which U.S. president never lived in the White House?
While President George Washington selected the site and approved the design, he never actually lived in the White House— he ended his service as chief executive in 1797 and died in 1799, one year before the seat of the federal government moved from Philadelphia to the city named in his honor.
How many times did the White House get destroyed?
Built in 1792, it has suffered 3 disasters over the past 200 years. Here's what's left of the original. The White House is one of the most iconic buildings in America.
What are 3 facts about the White House?
There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators. At various times in history, the White House has been known as the "President's Palace," the "President's House," and the "Executive Mansion." President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name in 1901.
Who owns the land the White House is on?
The Executive Residence is made up of six stories: the Ground Floor, State Floor, Second Floor, and Third Floor, as well as a two-story basement. The property is a National Heritage Site owned by the National Park Service and is part of the President's Park.
Why is it called the White House?
The stone exterior of the building was first painted with a lime-based whitewash in 1798 to protect it from the elements and freezing temperatures. According to the White House Historical Association, the "White House" moniker began to appear in newspapers before the War of 1812.
Why is it called the White House?
When construction was finished, the porous sandstone walls were whitewashed with a mixture of lime, rice glue, casein, and lead, giving the house its familiar color and name.
Who named the White House?
Roosevelt officially named the building The White House in 1901 by having the words “The White House – Washington” engraved on the president's stationary.
What was the White House originally called?
President's PalaceOriginally called the “President's Palace” on early maps, the building was officially named the Executive Mansion in 1810 in order to avoid connotations of royalty.
What state is the White House?
The White House is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States.
What is the White House?
The White House is the official office and residence of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. in Washi...
How much land does the White House and its grounds cover?
The White House and its landscaped grounds occupy 18 acres (7.2 hectares).
Does the president live in the White House?
The White House is both the home and workplace of the president of the United States, and it is the headquarters of the president’s principal staff...
Who was the first president to live in the White House?
The second president of the United States, John Adams, moved into the still-unfinished presidential mansion on November 1, 1800.
How many rooms are there in the White House?
The White House building complex has more than 130 rooms.
What is the architectural style of the White House?
The White House is a Georgian mansion in the Palladian style.
Where is the White House?
It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. The term "White House" is often used as a metonym for the president and their advisers . The residence was designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban in the neoclassical style.
What is the White House inspired by?
The building has classical inspiration sources, that can be found in the styles of the Roman architect Vitruvius and the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio; Palladio being an Italian architect of the Renaissance whose style evolved into Palladian architecture, which became popular in North American in the 18th century. Hoban's design is influenced by the upper floors of Leinster House, in Dublin, which later became the seat of the Oireachtas (the Irish parliament). Several other Georgian-era Irish country houses have been suggested as sources of inspiration for the overall floor plan, details like the bow-fronted south front, and interior details like the former niches in the present Blue Room. These influences, though undocumented, are cited in the official White House guide, and in White House Historical Association publications. The first official White House guide, published in 1962, suggested a link between Hoban's design for the South Portico and Château de Rastignac, a neoclassical country house located in La Bachellerie in the Dordogne region of France and designed by Mathurin Salat. Construction on the French house was initially started before 1789, interrupted by the French Revolution for twenty years and then finally built 1812–1817 (based on Salat's pre-1789 design). The theoretical link between the two houses has been criticized because Hoban did not visit France. Supporters of a connection posit that Thomas Jefferson, during his tour of Bordeaux in 1789, viewed Salat's architectural drawings (which were on-file at the college) at the École Spéciale d'Architecture (Bordeaux Architectural College). On his return to the US he then shared the influence with Washington, Hoban, Monroe, and Benjamin Henry Latrobe.
What color was the ceiling in the Red Room?
In the fall of 1882 work was done on the main corridor, including tinting the walls pale olive and adding squares of gold leaf, and decorating the ceiling in gold and silver, and colorful traceries woven to spell "USA". The Red Room was painted a dull Pomeranian red, and its ceiling was decorated with gold, silver, and copper stars and stripes of red, white, and blue. A fifty-foot jeweled Tiffany glass screen, supported by imitation marble columns, replaced the glass doors that separated the main corridor from the north vestibule.
How many rooms does the White House have?
The Chief Usher coordinates day to day household operations. The White House includes six stories and 55,000 square feet (5,100 m 2) of floor space, 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, twenty-eight fireplaces, eight staircases, three elevators, five full-time chefs, a tennis court, a (single-lane) bowling alley, a movie theater (officially called the White House Family Theater ), a jogging track, a swimming pool, and a putting green. It receives up to 30,000 visitors each week.
What was the White House's main concern during the Civil War?
The location of the White House was questioned, just north of a canal and swampy lands, which provided conditions ripe for malaria and other unhealthy conditions. Brigadier General Nathaniel Michler was tasked to propose solutions to address these concerns. He proposed abandoning the use of the White House as a residence and designed a new estate for the first family at Meridian Hill in Washington, D.C., but Congress rejected the plan. Another site under consideration was Metropolis View, today the campus of The Catholic University of America.
How much did it cost to build the White House?
The initial construction took place over a period of eight years, at a reported cost of $232,371.83 (equivalent to $3,543,000 in 2020). Although not yet completed, the White House was ready for occupancy circa November 1, 1800.
Why was the White House burned?
In 1814, during the War of 1812, the White House was set ablaze by British troops during the Burning of Washington, in retaliation for attacking and burning Toronto (then called York), Port Dover and other towns in Upper Canada; much of Washington was affected by these fires as well.
What is the White House complex?
As you can see in the diagram, the White House complex of buildings consists of the main building - the Presidential Residence, as well as the West and East wings, connected to the Residence by two colonnade galleries.
Why was the White House named after the fire?
But Roosevelt's main merit was that he legislatively gave the entire complex its final name - the White House. There are many legends about this. The fact that in fact the limestone from which the house was laid out was gray, and allegedly after the 1814 fire of the year it was painted white to hide the soot. Or that the name White House was mentioned quite often in private letters and newspaper articles at the end of the 19th century, since the inhabitants of the city used this term for a long time, because this building was sharply different in color from the surrounding buildings in its whiteness. Oddly enough, but this is all correct. The walls of the building were indeed lined with gray porous limestone, which was protected from the very beginning with a special white color to protect it from atmospheric effects and temperature changes, the composition of which changed over the years. This did not stop for a century to call this complex of buildings the President’s House, Palace, or Residence. And then Roosevelt, knowing that each state has its own “residence” of a local government representative, decided that the special name WHITE HOUSE would become the real difference between the official residence of the President of the United States and the rest. Since then, with the light hand of Theodore Roosevelt, the whole world knows this name.
How many floors does the White House have?
In this updated form, we can see it today. Now the White House, together with the adjacent territory, covers an area of about 7,2 hectare. It has 6 floors, 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 fireplaces, 28 stairs and 8 elevators, tennis courts, a golf course, several jogging paths, a pool, a bowling alley and a movie theater.
How long did Harry Truman live in the White House?
Over the course of 145 years, it survived two major fires, unsystematic reconstructions, and was designed without taking into account water supply and electricity, which were carried out after its construction. All this significantly weakened the construction of the building. It turned out that the foundations were sagging, the walls were peeling off, and the rusted gas and water pipes were constantly creating problems. The building became more and more fire hazard. But when in June 1948, the leg of a piano belonging to Truman's daughter Margaret fell through rotten floorboards, it became clear that radical measures were needed. And the Truman left the White House for 22 months, during which the building was completely renovated with the replacement of supporting structures and preservation of the historic facade.
What animals lived in the White House?
In subsequent years, a canary, a rabbit, a pony lived on the territory of the White House, and horses, pigs, turkeys, geese and cows sometimes grazed on the lawns. More exotic animals lived here: crocodile, cubs, hippopotamus, raccoon, owl, pony and others. So inside the White House there was an ordinary family life with its habits and addictions. Not without noisy informal events. So, 17 times here the weddings were celebrated by the closest relatives of the presidents. But only in the 1886 year, the only president who married at the White House was Grover Cleveland, who, at the age of 49, was married to 21-year-old Francis Falls. Once Andrew Johnson held a “cheese party” at the White House for more than ten thousand guests. And Susan Ford, the daughter of Gerald Ford, invited her classmates to the residence to celebrate the prom. But no matter how the interior of the White House changes and whatever events take place inside its walls, for more than two centuries it continues to remain the main house of the country, its fame, pride and symbol.
How did the White House construction work?
They worked along with whites: they mined sandstone at a field in Virginia, dug a foundation pit and laid the foundation of the White House, burned bricks for building interior walls. Invited European craftsmen and immigrant workers worked actively: Scottish masons erected sandstone walls, Scottish craftsmen carved a stone ornament from roses and garlands that adorn the western entrance today, and Italian craftsmen carved decorative stone elements decorating the columns of the White House , etc. Construction lasted more than eight years. 4 June 1800 year, the construction of the White House was completed. Unfortunately, the protracted construction deprived George Washington of the right to become the first tenant of the "Presidential Palace." At the time of its opening, on November 1 of 1800, the country was led for several years by the second president of the country - John Adams, who drove into a luxurious mansion with his wife Abigail. At that time, his construction work was not yet completed, so Abigail Adams could afford to use the East Room to dry the washed laundry. During the work of the Jefferson administration, East and West terraces were built to cover an unsightly view of the stables and courtyard. It was he who made the rule to open the White House every morning for everyone who wants to visit him, which is valid to this day.
What happened to the White House in 1909?
In 1909, US President William Taft expanded the western wing of the White House and created the first Oval Office. In 1927, under US President Calvin Coolidge, the attic of the main building was rebuilt into residential premises. And on December 24 of 1929, due to a short circuit in the western wing, another fire broke out, which caused the clogging of all internal ducts and sewers. Fire broke out in the attic during the Christmas ball. An employee who discovered him immediately reported this to the president and his assistants. They were able to save the office and many of the president’s personal belongings from a raging fire. The press center suffered the most, since many of its materials were lost.
What religion did George Washington follow?
Washington's faith has been categorized at times as evangelical Christianity, deist, Free Masonry and mainline Protestant Christianity. Washington himself was raised in, married in ...
Was John Quincy Adams a Unitarian?
Like his father, John Quincy Adams died a Unitarian. Born into the liberal Congregational Church of his parents, he studied and scrutinized religion and initially chose the more conservative strand of the Congregational Church before migrating slowly toward Unitarianism. Though he chastised "the liberal class who consider religion as merely a system of morals," he celebrated the Bible because "when duly read and meditated on, it is of all books in the world, that which contributes most to making men good, wise, and happy."
What did the word "white" mean in the early colonial era?
In early Colonial America, if you had asked the average white man to describe himself, any number of characterizations might have sprung from his lips — Englishman, planter, father, Bostonian — but the word “white” might never have occurred to him. That’s because “white,” as the personal identifier we recognize today, had not yet been established.
When did the word "white" come into existence?
That’s because “white,” as the personal identifier we recognize today, had not yet been established. When the concept of “white” first emerged in the 1500s, it was as a synonym for “ladylike.”. It referred to a class of woman so wealthy that she never had to go out into the sun, and so her skin was as white as cream.
Why are white people considered an optical illusion?
Not just because Americans invented white people, but also because every few decades or so, we revisit our invention to reexamine what it means to be white in light of its intended purpose: to demean, demoralize and defeat Black people.
What does it mean to be proud of whiteness?
To be proud of whiteness is to be proud of an illusion — a fabrication, craft ed to serve a sinister purpose. Whenever someone energetically identifies themselves as a white American, as opposed to whatever ethnic group they belong to, they move one step closer to white supremacy and one step further from their ancestors.
When did racialized whiteness begin?
Racialized whiteness, as we know it, first emerged widely as a response to Bacon’s Rebellion in Virginia in 1676 when a group of rebel indentured Europeans and enslaved Africans joined forces against the government.
What is the evolution of whiteness?
Since its creation, whiteness has undergone multiple evolutionary changes — often in response to tightening demographic pressures, but always in deference to its white supremacist roots. Benjamin Franklin espoused a widely held belief in his day that a white person must be of Anglo-Saxon descent. In the 19th century, most northern Europeans qualified as white — as long as they weren’t Irish or Jewish. They, like southern and eastern Europeans would have to wait for the early 20th century immigration waves to pass before they could ascend to whiteness. We have progressed in the 21st century to the point that skin color need not be a disqualifying feature for whiteness, as Asian Americans and even African Americans are now welcome — as long as they are willing to support and promote traditionally white European values and goals.
What does the third verse of White America mean?
Chapter 3 of “White America”. And the third verse also recognizes how Dre has been instrumental to his career. But more to the intended point is that of Eminem having introduced masses of middle-class White kids to the world of hardcore rap. So in his mind, that would explain why his career is marked by “constant controversy”.
When did Eminem make White America?
Eminem’s Shady Records, Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment and the distributor of both, Interscope Records made “White America”, along with the rest of “The Eminem Show”, public on the date of 26 May 2002. According to a 2008 article published by Mother Jones, American military prisons have used certain songs, including “White America”, ...
What is Eminem telling the white people?
That then brings us to the chorus. What Eminem is telling “White America”, i.e. the Caucasian population of the United States, is basically that he’s one of them. And this does not mean that he is trying to conform or is seeking their acceptance. Rather what he is putting forth is that the same kind of ideological disassociation from the mainstream which produced Slim Shady is likewise present in their own children. Indeed as pointed out earlier, prototypical American kids love Slim Shady.
Who was the second lady of the United States?
And to drive the point home, he concludes the track by directly dissing Lynne Cheney and Tipper Gore. At the time Mrs. Cheney was the Second Lady of the United States (i.e. wife of the former Vice President Dick Cheney). And prior to her, that position was held by Tipper Gore (wife of former Vice President Al Gore).
Who was the first white rapper?
Rather that distinction would probably go to 3 rd Bass, a crew from Queens who were part and parcel of the New York rap scene during the early-1990s. But Eminem was the first White rapper who was not only accepted by Blacks but proved to be mega-successful in the mainstream (i.e. White) music industry also. As such the topic of race, as far as his ...
Is Eminem's song White America racial?
However, ultimately, this song is more political in nature than it is racial. Or rather let’s say that underneath all that is being put forth, even when the lyrics sound straight-up political, lies Eminem’s Whiteness and the fact that he has proven so influential amongst his people, the Caucasians who rule America, especially.
Is White America gold?
And whereas “White America” was not amongst the singles released from said project, the song still managed to be certified gold by RIAA in 2018. The track which precedes “White America” on the album, “Curtains Up”, is actually a skit which segues into this song. Eminem’s Shady Records, Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment and the distributor of both, ...
