The Burning and Rebuilding of the White House

You have probably heard of the White House. The President of the United States lives and works there. You may know it was built long ago. Its construction started in October of 1792. It was finished in 1800. But did you know it was almost destroyed by an invading army? Let’s look at what happened.  

During the War of 1812, the British Army marched towards Washington, DC. Most of the United States Army was fighting in battles in other parts of the United States or Canada. It was up to a group of untrained soldiers to defend the capital city. They were defeated easily.  British troops invaded Washington, D.C.  

At the time, the White House was known as the Executive Mansion or the President’s House. People had to evacuate the Executive Mansion so they would not be captured. They left so quickly that when British soldiers arrived, they found an unfinished meal. The British ate the meal and proceeded to set the Presidential Mansion on fire. However, First Lady Dolly Madison did take the time to remove important belongings from the mansion, including a portrait of George Washington.  

The British army also set fire to the US Capitol Building and the Library of Congress. Fortunately, a huge thunderstorm helped stop the fires from spreading. A day later, the British retreated. It took three years to rebuild the Presidential Mansion. It would become known as the White House in 1901. It still endures today.   

What Do You Think? What do you think buildings such as the White House and the US Capitol Building symbolize? Why would an invading army want to destroy them? 

Photo Credit: (top) North Wind Picture Archives/Alamy Stock Photo; (bottom)Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division [LC-DIG-ppmsca-02160]