U.S. Capital Bookmark

The United States Capitol commands a westward view across the Capitol Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Before 1791, the federal government had no permanent site.

The early Congresses met in eight different cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore, Lancaster, York, Princeton, Annapolis, Trenton, and New York City. The subject of a permanent capital for the government of the United States was first raised by Congress in 1793; it was ultimately addressed in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution (1787), which gave the Congress legislative authority over “such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by Cession of Particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States.”

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