Question

why did leaders choose a location along the Potomac River for the new capital, instead of keeping the capital in a major city like New York or Philadelphia?

Answer 1

Short version: leaders picked a Potomac site mainly as a political compromise to balance Northern and Southern interests and to put the capital on neutral, federal ground rather than in an already‑powerful state city like New York or Philadelphia.

Key reasons:
- Political compromise: Hamilton’s plan for the federal government to assume state debts needed Southern votes. In the 1790 “compromise” (Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison) Congress agreed to assume the debts in exchange for placing the permanent capital on the Potomac.
- Neutrality and balance: A new capital between North and South avoided letting any single major commercial city or state dominate national politics.
- Federal control: The Constitution required the seat of government to be under Congress’s exclusive jurisdiction. Creating a new federal district (the District of Columbia) made that cleanly possible.
- Geography and access: The Potomac was navigable to the sea and convenient to both northern and southern states, making travel and trade easier than a more inland site.
- Local support and influence: George Washington (a Virginian) favored the Potomac site; his support helped shape the decision. Land could be acquired and the city planned from scratch (L’Enfant’s plan), giving the new nation a purpose‑built capital.
- Security and prestige: Building a brand‑new capital allowed planners to design for defense and to create a symbol of the national government rather than using an entrenched state commercial center.

Legally the Residence Act (1790) authorized the site; Congress temporarily met in New York and Philadelphia until the new federal city on the Potomac was established.