How many capitals has the U.S. had?

Make every day more interesting. Each day a surprising fact opens a world of fascinating information for you to explore. Did you know that….? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

HOME    FACTS    ARTICLES

Original photo by Andy Feliciotti/ Unsplash Washington, D.C., is the country's ninth capital. While Washington, D.C., is the U.S. capital we're most familiar with today, it's far from the country's first. In fact, it came at the end of a long road. When the Second Continental Congress declared the independence of the United States of America in 1776, its home base at the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) made Philadelphia the first capital of the brand-new nation. But arriving waves of British soldiers made life dangerous in the major coastal cities of the former colonies, and congressional delegates often found themselves on the move during the Revolutionary War years. Following a two-month stay in Baltimore, the Continental Congress returned to Philadelphia for six months before reconvening for one September 1777 day in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Next, they moved the capital a little farther west to York for nine months, before going back to Philadelphia again. While the American Revolution was effectively over by summer 1783, a domestic threat from Continental Army soldiers seeking overdue wages again sent congressional delegates scurrying, this time to the campus of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). From there, it was on to Annapolis, Maryland, and then to the future New Jersey capital of Trenton through late 1784, before the government began to stabilize with the drafting of the U.S. Constitution and the election of President George Washington during its nearly six-year tenure in New York City. Following the passage of the Residence Act in 1790, the seat of government again temporarily returned to Philadelphia, as a new federal city was built on land appropriated from Maryland and Virginia around the Potomac River. Although Philadelphians attempted to convince President Washington to stay with the offer of a lavish mansion, political horse trading had already ensured that the capital would be set in a more southern location. When Congress met for the first time in the brand-new U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in November 1800, shortly after President John Adams moved into what eventually became known as the White House, the government's days as a peripatetic entity were officially over.   Congressional representatives from Washington, D.C., cannot vote on bills. Congressional representatives from Washington, D.C., cannot vote on bills.

Capture Cherished Moments Forever With Paint Your Life Looking for the ultimate holiday gift? Paint Your Life specializes in transforming cherished photographs into stunning hand-painted portraits. This holiday season, give a gift that's both luxurious and heartfelt. With a 30% discount using the code TAKE30OFF, these portraits make for an exceptional gift to last a lifetime. This offer is only valid until November 30, 2023.  Create Yours

The Virginia city that was initially part of the land apportioned to Washington, D.C., is __. The Virginia city that was initially part of the land apportioned to Washington, D.C., is __. Numbers Don't Lie Area (in square miles) covered by Washington, D.C. 68.3 Population of Washington, D.C., in 1800 14,093 Capital cities in South Africa 3 Stanley Cups won by the NHL's Washington Capitals 1 A movement to relocate the U.S. capital gathered steam following the Civil War. The U.S. capital hasn't budged from its current location for more than 200 years, but that doesn't mean there haven't been attempts to make it happen. Perhaps the strongest movement to relocate the capital emerged in the years after the Civil War, when advocates pointed to the ever-expanding nation as justification for reestablishing government operations in a centralized location such as St. Louis, Missouri. Following a few failed attempts to resolve the matter through legislation, some 80 representatives from 17 states and territories convened in St. Louis in October 1869 to debate proposals at the National Capital Removal Convention. A second convention was held the following year in Cincinnati, Ohio, but President Ulysses S. Grant got involved by pressing Congress to devote more resources to the existing capital. With the infusion of new sidewalks, office buildings, sewers, and other hallmarks of modern life spread across Washington, D.C., the city was transformed into a capital that better reflected the ideals of a world power, and the movement to uproot the government from its East Coast moorings largely ground to a halt.   You might also like Our Favorite Facts About American History Thank you for supporting our advertisers. They help keep Interesting Facts free!

Make Every Day More Interesting. Email Preferences     Unsubscribe     Privacy Policy     Terms of Use Make Every Day More Interesting. Email Preferences     Unsubscribe Privacy Policy     Terms of Use Advertisements: Powered by AdChoices We love to collaborate. To learn more about our sponsorship opportunities, please connect with us here. 1550 Larimer Street, Suite 431, Denver, CO 80202