New York City was the first capital of the United States under the Constitution, a foundational milestone connected to the history celebrated by America250.
The new federal government began operating under the Constitution in 1789. Congress met in New York City, and George Washington was inaugurated as the first president at Federal Hall on April 30 of that year.
New York’s role as national capital lasted only briefly. The federal government moved to Philadelphia in 1790 under the terms of a political compromise concerning the location of a permanent capital. Philadelphia then served as the capital until the government moved to Washington in 1800.
New York City is often confused with Philadelphia because both hosted the federal government during the early republic. It is also distinct from earlier wartime and Confederation-era meeting places, since this question concerns the capital under the Constitution’s new federal system.