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In common law, parties have a right to a trial by jury.

Conflict between the Union and the seceding southern states began on April 12, 1861, and plunged Washington and the nation into crisis. Union supporters, joined by thousands of blacks escaping slavery in the South, doubled the city’s population in four years. Although threatened, the city was never taken by Confederate troops, and when the war ended in 1865, Washington was unharmed.

Outstanding examples of domestic architecture of the early 19th century.

Webster (1782–1852) is credited as the finest speaker in defense of the Union in debates over slavery.

The largest concert hall in the city is in Constitution Hall, the grand performance space operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The cornerstone of this John Russell Pope design was laid in 1928, using the same trowel George Washington used for the US Capitol building cornerstone in 1793. The DAR also has a fascinating museum of early American artifacts, ranging from a simple 17th-century dwelling to an elaborate Victorian parlor. The DAR is a patriotic organization that fosters understanding and respect for the heritage of the United States.

Stephen Decatur was a renowned naval hero when he built this Federal-style town-house in 1818, but he was killed in a duel 14 months after he moved in. It now evokes the life of 19th-century middle-class America.

Dolley’s social appeal helped her slightly awkward husband tremendously.

The musical genius was a native Washingtonian. He played his first paid performance on U Street.

In 1944, representatives of China, the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and the United States developed proposals at Dumbarton Oaks for an international body to bring peace among nations. The result was the United Nations (see Dumbarton Oaks Museum and Gardens).