What city served as the United States capital from 1789 until 1790?
Answer
New York City
New York City served as the United States capital from 1789 until 1790.
The new federal government began operating in New York City after the Constitution took effect. Congress met at Federal Hall on Wall Street, where George Washington was inaugurated as the first president on April 30, 1789.
New York was not the only early meeting place of the national government. During and immediately after the Revolutionary War, Congress met in cities including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Annapolis, Princeton, Trenton, and York. These moves reflected wartime danger, political disputes, and the lack of a permanent federal capital.
The Residence Act of July 1790 selected Philadelphia as the temporary capital for 10 years and authorized a permanent capital on the Potomac River. The federal government moved to Philadelphia in 1790 and later moved to Washington, D.C., in 1800. New York City therefore served as the first capital under the Constitution, but not as the permanent national capital.