Simplify the following text for a Grade 9 native English-speaking person.
Original: The National District ( Distrito Nacional ) is similar to a province but without a Civil Governor and with only one municipality , Santo Domingo de GuzmÃ n , the national capital .
Simplified: The Distrito Nacional was created in 1936 . Prior to this , the Distrito National was the old Santo Domingo Province , in existence since the country 's independence in 1844 .