New York City became the first U.S. capital under the Constitution, a milestone connected with America250.
The new federal government began operating in New York City in 1789. Congress met at Federal Hall on Wall Street, where George Washington took the presidential oath on April 30 of that year. New York therefore served as the first national capital under the Constitution.
The capital moved to Philadelphia in 1790 under the Residence Act, which selected a future permanent site on the Potomac River. Philadelphia remained the temporary capital until 1800, when the government moved to Washington, D.C.
New York City had also served as the capital under the Articles of Confederation from 1785 until the Constitution replaced that system. This can cause confusion, because the city’s role began before Washington’s presidency, but its best-known constitutional-era landmark is Federal Hall and the first inauguration.