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Did you know that Washington DC was not the original choice to be the capital of the United States? Learn what went behind the scenes of this decision and which cities were in the running.
Washington, DC, is today the political heart of the United States, but this prominent position was not always guaranteed. During the early years of the young nation, other cities held the title of “US capital“, and the process of determining the final location was full of debates and historical compromises.
Temporary capitals at the founding of the United States
During the American Revolutionary War, while the US was fighting for its independence and had not yet defined its Constitution, the country experimented with several temporary capitals.
A Pennsylvania played a central role during this period, with cities such as Philadelphia serving as the seat of government.
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New York was also an important choice. Between 1785 and 1790, it became the US capital, being the stage for notable events, such as the inauguration of George Washington as the first president in 1789, at Federal Hall, located on Wall Street.
However, this position was provisional. The Constitution required that the Congress choose a specific area to become the permanent capital of the United States.
The place would need to symbolize independence and represent the interests of the entire nation, a task that proved to be more complicated than it seemed.
The dispute between North and South
The location of the U.S. capital became a subject of intense political debate. Cities such as New York and Philadelphia were important economic and commercial centers, but they represented Northern interests, while the largely agrarian South felt underrepresented.
In addition, there was the geographical issue: the capital needed to be central and equally accessible to all states.
These debates highlighted the growing tensions between the North and South, foreshadowing conflicts that would culminate in the American Civil War.
Some politicians, such as Congressman John Francis Mercer of Maryland, even mocked the situation, saying that Congress was more concerned with where to meet than with the real issues facing the country.
The Compromise of 1790
The solution to this dispute came with the Compromise of 1790, which pacified, at least temporarily, the divisions between North and South.
The agreement resolved financial issues related to debts accumulated by the states during the Revolutionary War and defined the location of the future capital.
It was decided that the new U.S. capital would be built along the Potomac River, between Maryland and Virginia, in a strategic location to serve the interests of both the North and the South.
This territory was transformed into the District of Columbia, where the construction of an entirely new city was planned: Washington.
A provisional capital in Philadelphia
While the new capital was being built, the federal government was transferred to Philadelphia in 1790. For ten years, the city served as the official interim capital, housing Congress and other federal institutions.
Philadelphia already had a long history as a major center of American independence, being the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
The Founding of Washington, DC
In 1800, the transition to the new capital was finally complete. Washington, D.C., became the official seat of the federal government.
The White House, completed that same year, became the residence of all US presidents. With the change, the city consolidated its role as the political heart of the country.
Despite this, Washington faced initial challenges, such as limited infrastructure and a location that, at the time, seemed isolated.
These obstacles were overcome over the years, with the city growing and becoming the political and cultural center we know today.
Discussions about the future of the capital
Although Washington, DC, is widely accepted as the capital of the United States, debates occasionally arise about the possibility of relocation.
Some argue that a new, planned, modern city should be built in the geographic center of the country, such as Kansas, to better reflect national diversity and interests.
However, these discussions remain marginal, and Washington remains the unquestioned seat of the American government.
The story of how US capital was chosen and built is a reminder of the complex negotiations that shaped the United States in its early years.
