Washington DC and London - Essay Example

Deborah Vanderploeg Kelly Giesecke, M.A.,E.d ENC 1101 73B Feb 16, Washington DC and London Washington D.C. and London are two of the very famous cities of the world. One of the most obvious correlations between Washington D.C. and London is that the two are capital cities and as such sit powers of two influential countries in the world—the former going to the United States and the latter United Kingdom (Chea 2012 ). Another similarity that cuts across these two cities, partly due to this reason, is the fact that they host a number of physical facilities that are both architecturally impressive and play literally the same role in their respective countries.

The first is the White House in Washington and the Buckingham Palace in London. In the U.S., the White House, apart from hosting the First Family, is arguably the central place of the U.S. admiration. In a similar manner, the British Monarch administers from Buckingham Palace in London in addition to it being the residence of the Royal Family (Pierre 2012). London and Washington stand on each of the poles because each has experienced the seat of power and has a heritage of its own. The need to compare the two cities arises from these distinctive features which have compelled people to shift from one place to another.

In the same light, the U.S. Capitol in Washington and British House of Commons in London are comparable. Both are architecturally striking and house the respective countries’ politicians—the former housing Senators and Congressmen while the latter is the official meeting place of British Parliamentarians. Washington and London are also similar in the sense that they are home to two of the largest museums in the world (Chea 2012). In London there is the British Museum that is one of the oldest of world museums while in the Washington, there is The Smithsonian—said to be the largest and most complex of the world museums.

As such, both of these cities serve to reflect the historical cultures of their respective countries as well as that of the outside world. Finally, yet importantly, both of these cities host historical monuments that serve both as public places and as tourist attraction sites. In this regard, there is the Lincoln Memorial in Washington and Trafalgar Square in London (Pierre 2012). Washington and London, however, are not short of disparities. While the U.S. Capital is barely two centuries old, the history of London extends back to 43AD during the invasion of the Romans.

In view of this, one can safely say that London is more entrenched in aspects like culture, diversity and even size—London is tenfold the size of Washington (Pierre 2012). Additionally, aside from the fact that these two cities are seats of power in their respective countries, they do not share the same political ideologies in all aspects of their governance. While Washington has totally embraced democratic governance in all facets of its administration, London remains stuck with the ancient model of Monarch in their governance despite having embraced democracy in some quarters (Chea 2012).

The social and intellectual life of London is dominantly based on the standards of Royalty. It enjoys the most of its festivities and riches during the spring season. This is the time when Royal academy opens and people from America at least plan a trip to London for family entertainment. One can find the London’s literature as being more descriptive about the city than the actual monuments which no longer have the same maintenance as before. This is also because of a few literary remains of the ancient past.

One may also add to the record of wealth London has, that it is through the fortunes provided by London that America had its railways built (Townsend 1882). Unlike London, which established itself over the years, Washington was constitutionally mandated to serve as the capital city of the United States. Partly due to this, the culture that has dominated Washington for the better part of its existence is rather political. Issues of race, power, and sectional politics, among other lines of politics, are best used to define this U.S. city.

London, on the other hand, can be associated with flourishing arts and literacy works (Chea 2012). While the likes of Hamilton and Jefferson defined Washington in its formative years, London prides itself through literary icons like Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, among other playwrights and prominent artists of the time. Arguably, while the wealthy in Washington pursued power, their counterparts found patronage in painting and music. It is worth noting that London was once the seat of world power, a position Washington currently holds (Chea 2012).

The reason for the decline in this position occurred mainly because of the variety of indifferent constructions that are owned my Washington as opposed to the affected structure of London that lays bare as it was in the Elizabethan era. The elegant surroundings and the scenic river Thames still enchants the people who London for its beauty and nature. The weather in London, however, is bleak and that makes life a little too dull. It is known for its “swarthy and vapory complexion” covered with fog and smoke.

London, as port of revenue, may be unbeatable in the world but with the rate of progress, New York and San Francisco’s spacious harbors and their “enlightened public enterprise” are ahead of London. It is only in terms of money that London has influenced America, otherwise the “century is moved” from Washington (Townsend 1882). It is the new face of the World Power because of development in both the education and corporate sector. Works Cited Chea, Stephenson. "The Elizabethan Age: London, Arts, Stagecraft.

" 12 April 2010. 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2012. . Pierre, Charles. "Washington DC." 2009. 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2012. . Townsend, George A. The New World Compared with the Old: A Description of the American Government, Institutions and Enterprises. San Francisco: Phillips & Hunt, 1882. Print.