For two hundred years, the White House has stood as a symbol of the american Presidency and the United States government. Its history began when President George Washington signed an Act of Congress in December of 1790 declaring that the federal government would reside in a district "not exceeding ten miles square [...] on the river Potomac." Washington, together with city planner Pierre L'Enfant, chose the site for the new residence, which is now 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As preparations began for the new federal city, a competition was held to find a builder of the President's House. Nine proposals were submitted, and Irish-born architect James Hoban won a gold medal for his design.

Construction began when the first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792. Although President Washington oversaw the construction of the house, he never lived in it. It was not until 1800, when the White House was nearly completed, that its first residents, President John Adams moved in. Since that time, each President has made his own changes and additions as The White House is the President's private home.

In 1814, the magnificent building was burned by the British but soon after James Hoban reconstructed it back to its original appearance. In 1929, while President Hoover was in office, the White House caught fire again and had to be renovated. For many years it was called the "President's House", and even the "President's Palace". After the Civil War the house became known as the "Executive Mansion". In 1901 President Theodore Roosevelt officially changed the name to the "White House".

Today the White House is still the home of the President and his family and there are offices for the president and the people that work for him. The lawmakers in Congress, work in another building called "the United States Capital".