the capital city of the United States. That city is Washington, designing a building called Federal Hall in New York City.

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1 24 Pierre Charles L'Enfant Have you ever wondered how the streets, buildings, and parks of a community come to be? Usually, they result from the work of people called city planners. A famous city planner in American history was Pierre Charles L'Enfant. He designed one of the most important communities in the world, the capital city of the United States. That city is Washington, D.C. 2 After the Revolutionary War, when the United States won its freedom from Great Britain, George Washington was elected the first President. He wanted a new capital, so he asked his friend, L'Enfant, to design it for him. 3 Born in Paris, France, in a family of artists, L'Enfant had served in the Revolutionary War as an engineer. He gained Washington's attention after designing a building called Federal Hall in New York City. When a plan was needed for Washington, D. C., to be built on the banks of the Potomac River, L'Enfant was called to service. 4 L'Enfant's job was to design a completely new community in a 1- mile-square area that would serve as the capital of the United States. He had a vision of what the American capital could be, a wonderful city beyond what anyone else could imagine. He planned broad avenues with circles and squares of land for the monuments of national heroes. He placed the Capitol Building on a sloping hilltop and connected it to the President's House by a mile-long avenue. L'Enfant's plan was not only for the Washington, D. C., of the 18s but for the future. No matter how grand the plan, President Washington was confident that L'Enfant could carry it out. The problem was that L'Enfant would not let his plans for Washington, D.C., be changed---even the smallest bit. 22 Wordsmiths Publishing Company and Educational Consultants

2 25 6 As a result, he angered the men in charge of making sure the city got built. When they complained, President Washington fired L'Enfant. L'Enfant gathered up all his drawings and carried them to France. In the end, other planners went on without L'Enfant, but they followed the plan he had made. 7 When L'Enfant died in poverty on June 14, 1825, his personal belongings were valued at only $44. Unappreciated at the time, L'Enfant was buried in a simple grave on Digges Farm in Maryland. 8 In the 19s, city planners went to work to beautify Washington, D. C. As they began, they realized that their guide for the city had already been drawn 1 years before by L'Enfant. 9 After that, a movement began to give national recognition to the man who had designed Washington, D. C. In the spring of 199, L'Enfant's body was removed from Digges Farm. He was rebuffed with honors on the hillside at Arlington National Cemetery overlooking the city he had designed. 1 L'Enfant had waited 1 years to be appreciated by the people of the United States for his design of a capital city that is unique in the world. Some day if you visit Washington, D. C., you'll drive down streets and see buildings and monuments that once only existed in the mind of a genius named Pierre Charles L'Enfant. 22 Wordsmiths Publishing Company and Educational Consultants

3 26, Paragraph 4 is mostly about how L'Enfant wanted the city to look how L'Enfant became a city planner why L'Enfant was fired by George Washington why L'Enfant was chosen to design Washington, D. C., Pierre Charles L'Enfant can best be described as O cooperative O agreeable O stubborn O nervous, Read the meanings below for the word banks. banks (bangks) noun 1. long piles or heaps 2. places that store money 3. slope 4. rising ground beside a body of water Which meaning best fits the way banks is used in paragraph 3? O Meaning 1 O Meaning 2 O Meaning 3 O Meaning 4 22 Wordsmiths Publishing Company and Educational Consultants

4 27 Look at these pictures. \ I1 Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4 Which shape shows what the area of Washington, D. C., looks like? O Picture 1 O Picture 2 O Picture 3 O Picture 4 i. Which statement is true of L'Enfant? He was born in the United States. He did not work well with others. He died a rich man. He refused to design Washington, D. C.,I 22 Wordsmiths Publishing Company and Educational Consultants

5 28", Read the first sentence of the summary below. Summary of "Pierre Charles L'Enfant" Pierre Charles L'Enfant designed the capital city of the United States, Washington, DI C. Which of these best completes the summary? O He completed the job and was honored in a ceremony at the Capitol. When he died, a street was named in his honor. O After he completed the plan for Washington, D. C., L'Enfant spent the rest of his life in France. He died there a rich man. O Because he would not change his plans for Washington, D. C, at all, he was fired from the job before it was completed. He died a poor man and wasn't remembered until 1 years later. O After designing Washington, D. C., L'Enfant fought in the Revolutionary War. He was killed in a battle while serving with George Washington. 22 Wordsmiths Publishing Company and Educational Consultants

6 . Read the chart below. It shows the order in which some events happened in the story. 29 L'Enfant was born in Paris, France. 2-- ] L'Enfant designed Washington, D. C. Z L'Enfant died a poor man in Which of these belongs in the empty box? L'Enfant was honored as a national hero. L'Enfant was buried on Digges Farm. L'Enfant designed Federal Hall in New York City. L'Enfant was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. 'I :1. In paragraph 7, which words help the reader understand what povert, means?!; L 'Enfant died at the time personal belongings vahted at only $44 :IE ;, [, i :i l,j 22 Wordsmiths Publishing Company and Educational Consultants

The First President. Guide to Reading

The First President. Guide to Reading The First President Main Idea President Washington and the first Congress tackled the work of establishing a new government. Key Terms precedent, cabinet, national debt, bond, speculator, unconstitutional,