On August 24, 1814, British forces burned the U.S. Capitol during the War of 1812, destroying the Library of Congress's original collection of 3,000 volumes.
Sources
- Library of Congress | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica (britannica.com)
- https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/out-of-the-ashes/online-exhibition.html (loc.gov)
- https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/blog/most-magnificent-ruin-burning-capitol-during-war-1812 (aoc.gov)
- https://www.loc.gov/about/fascinating-facts (loc.gov)
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