new york was the capital of the united states under the articles of confederation from 1785 to 1788. when the us constitution was made, it stayed as the capital from 1789 until 1790. in 1789, the first president of the united states, george washington, was inaugurated; the first united states congress and the supreme court of the united states each met for the first time, and the united states bill of rights was written, all at federal hall on wall street. by 1790, new york grew bigger than philadelphia, so it become the biggest city in the united states. by the end of 1790, because of the residence act, philadelphia became the new capital.