District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871

E9228

The District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871 was a U.S. federal law that reorganized the governance of Washington, D.C. by creating a unified territorial government for the entire District.


Statements (41)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal law
organic act
appliesToJurisdiction District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.
basedOn Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the United States Constitution
category 1871 in American law
Law of the District of Columbia
United States federal territory law
constitutionalBasis United States Constitution Article I, Section 8, Clause 17
country United States
dateEnacted 1871
defines powers of the District of Columbia governor
powers of the District of Columbia legislative assembly
responsibilities of the Board of Public Works in the District of Columbia
effect abolition of separate municipal governments of Washington City, Georgetown, and Washington County
consolidation of the City of Washington, Georgetown, and Washington County into a single municipal government
creation of a Board of Public Works for the District of Columbia
creation of an appointed governor for the District of Columbia
creation of an appointed upper legislative council for the District of Columbia
creation of an elected lower legislative assembly for the District of Columbia
establishment of a territorial government for the entire District of Columbia
enactedBy United States Congress
followedBy District of Columbia Organic Act of 1878
governs municipal administration of the District of Columbia
grants limited home rule to residents of the District of Columbia
hasLegalStatus superseded in part by later legislation
historicalPeriod Reconstruction era
jurisdictionOver entire territory of the District of Columbia
language English
legalForm statute
legislativeBody United States Congress
partOf legal framework governing the District of Columbia
purpose to create a unified territorial government for the District of Columbia
to reorganize the governance of Washington, D.C.
regulates structure of the District of Columbia territorial government
relatedTo District of Columbia Home Rule Act
District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801
reorganizes government of the District of Columbia
replaces earlier separate charters of Washington City and Georgetown
subjectOf historical studies of Washington, D.C. municipal government
legal scholarship on federal control of the District of Columbia


Please wait…