Why the 'District of Columbia'?

By JJ
@JolietJake (50190)
November 24, 2016 1:31am CST
Washington, D.C. is so named because Columbia was a 'poetic' name sometimes used to refer to the United States of America. Which, of course, was a nod towards Christopher Columbus...you know...that guy that didn't discover 'America' and in point of fact never set one foot on the North American continent. It was all just a rumor. Probably started by the Indians...who weren't from India.
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8 responses
Inlemay
@Inlemay (17713)
• South Africa
24 Nov 16
it probably means "a taste of spanish" or something. We have names of places from the UK and those people never came here either
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Inlemay
@Inlemay (17713)
• South Africa
24 Nov 16
@JolietJake ha ha that might just cause a NEW CIVIL WAR
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JJ
@JolietJake (50190)
•
24 Nov 16
I heard they're gonna rename it the District of Trump
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Happy Lady and Freya the Catblog Cat
@Jackalyn (7558)
• Oxford, England
24 Nov 16
History is very strange and usually written to suit the country you are born in and present it in a good light. I had no idea Washington D.C was anything at all as I have never thought about that.
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sishy7
@sishy7 (27166)
• Australia
24 Nov 16
What prompted you this discussion, I wonder... I don't care if I'm wrong, but I'll take credit anyway that you got the idea after you read one of my comments to one of the responses in one of the recent discussions...
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JJ
@JolietJake (50190)
•
24 Nov 16
Actually taking a smoke break yesterday and started wondering why it wasn't called the District of Argentina or Paraguay or something else...
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sishy7
@sishy7 (27166)
• Australia
24 Nov 16
@JolietJake ... and I'll start calling Illinois the Land Up Above just because you live in it...
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Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
28 Nov 16
I was once told, by someone from the netherlands I think it was, that HE was convinced Levi's were America's sneaky way of taking over the world (along with hanes Teeshirts), perhaps there is something to all this conspiracy!
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Morley Hunt
@Morleyhunt (21742)
• Canada
24 Nov 16
You had to start me down that rabbit trail! I could have ignored it, but.....
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JJ
@JolietJake (50190)
•
24 Nov 16
I would like to know why the odd thought seems to just leap into my head for no discernible reason at times.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (359028)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Nov 16
I'm pretty sure the Alice that Alice Springs is named for never set foot in the town either. Got the honour under false pretences methinks.
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Glen
@glenniah (1197)
• Mandurah, Australia
24 Nov 16
Maybe we need to talk about the odd thoughts that just jump into your head. Could be more interesting than Christopher Columbus the guy who didn't discover America. Just a thought, hehe
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Anna
@LadyDuck (479501)
• Italy
24 Nov 16
We have a funny joke about Columbus in Italy. "Cristoforo Colombo should have been a perfect politician. He started a trip and he did not know where he was going. When he arrived, he did not know where he had landed. Anyway he always traveled with paid expenses by the Government."
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