New York City served as the first temporary capital of the United States under the Constitution. The new federal government began operating there in 1789, before the capital moved to Philadelphia and eventually to Washington, D.C.
The Confederation Congress selected New York as the temporary seat of the new government in 1788. The First Congress convened there on March 4, 1789, although it initially lacked a quorum. George Washington was inaugurated as the first president at Federal Hall on April 30, 1789.
New York’s federal period included several foundational events. Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789, established executive departments, and proposed the amendments that became the Bill of Rights. The city was an important port and commercial center, making it a practical early seat of government.
The Residence Act of 1790 established Philadelphia as the temporary capital for ten years while a permanent federal district was developed on the Potomac River. The government moved to Washington, D.C., in 1800.