Federal Hall was the first U.S. Capitol established under the Constitution. Located on Wall Street in New York City, it hosted the First United States Congress when the new federal government began operating in 1789.
The building was also the site of George Washington’s first presidential inauguration on April 30, 1789. The First Congress passed foundational measures there, including legislation establishing the federal judiciary and proposing the Bill of Rights.
Federal Hall is often confused with the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., which was built later. In 1790, the national capital moved from New York City to Philadelphia. The original Federal Hall was demolished in 1812; the present Federal Hall National Memorial occupies the site and commemorates the earlier building.