1759 – The French were defeated by the British on the Plains of Abraham in the final French and Indian War.

1788 – The Constitutional Convention decided that the first federal election was to be held on Wednesday the following February. On that day George Washington was elected as the first president of the United States. In addition, New York City was named the temporary national capital.

1789 – The United States Government took out its first loan. 

1847 – U.S. forces took the hill Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War.

1862 – During the American Civil War General Lee’s Order No. 191 was found by federal soldiers in Maryland.

1898 – Hannibal Williston Goodwin patented celluloid photographic film, which is used to make movies.

1922 – In El Azizia, Libya, the highest shade temperature was recorded at 136.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

1935 – Aviator Howard Hughes, Jr., of Houston, set a new airspeed record of 352 mph with his H-1 airplane (Winged Bullet).

1937 – The first broadcast of “Kitty Keene, Incorporated” was heard on the NBC Red network.

1943 – Chiang Kai-shek became the president of China.

1948 – The School of Performing Arts opened in New York City. It was the first public school to specialize in performing arts.

1948 – Margaret Chase Smith was elected to the U.S. Senate and became the first woman to serve in both houses of the U.S. Congress. 

1949 – The Ladies Professional Golf Association of America was formed.

1959 – The Soviet Union’s Luna 2 became the first space probe to reach the moon. It was launched the day before.

1960 – The U.S. Federal Communications Commission banned payola. 

1970 – The first New York City Marathon took place. Fireman Gary Muhrucke won the race.

1971 – In New York, National Guardsmen stormed the Attica Correctional Facility and put an end to the four-day revolt. A total of 43 people were killed in the final assault. A committee was organized to investigate the riot on September 30, 1971.

1971 – The World Hockey Association was formed.

1977 – The first diesel automobiles were introduced by General Motors.

1981 – U.S. Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig said the U.S. had physical evidence that Russia and its allies used poisonous biological weapons in Laos, Cambodia and Afghanistan. 

1988 – Forecasters reported that Hurricane Gilbert’s barometric pressure measured 26.13. It was the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere. 

1993 – Israel and Palestine signed their first major agreement. Palestine was granted limited self-government in the Gaza Strip and in Jericho.

1994 – U.S. President Bill Clinton signed a $30 billion crime bill into law.

1998 – The New York Times closed its Web site after hackers added offensive material.

2001 – U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell named Osama bin Laden as the prime suspect in the terror attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. Limited commercial flights resumed in the U.S. for the first time in two days.

 

1788 – The Constitutional Convention decided that the first federal election was to be held on Wednesday the following February. On that day George Washington was elected as the first president of the United States. In addition, New York City was named the temporary national capital.
1789 – The United States Government took out its first loan.

 

1922 – In El Azizia, Libya, the highest shade temperature was recorded at 136.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

1948 – The School of Performing Arts opened in New York City. It was the first public school to specialize in performing arts.

1948 – Margaret Chase Smith was elected to the U.S. Senate and became the first woman to serve in both houses of the U.S. Congress.

 

1949 – The Ladies Professional Golf Association of America was formed.

 

1960 – The U.S. Federal Communications Commission banned payola.

 

1971 – In New York, National Guardsmen stormed the Attica Correctional Facility and put an end to the four-day revolt. A total of 43 people were killed in the final assault. A committee was organized to investigate the riot on September 30, 1971.

1977 – The first diesel automobiles were introduced by General Motors.

1981 – U.S. Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig said the U.S. had physical evidence that Russia and its allies used poisonous biological weapons in Laos, Cambodia and Afghanistan.

1993 – Israel and Palestine signed their first major agreement. Palestine was granted limited self-government in the Gaza Strip and in Jericho.

The Constitutional Convention decided that the first federal election was to be held on Wednesday the following February.

On that day George Washington was elected as the first president of the United States.

In addition, New York City was named the temporary national capital.

New York City Becomes America’s First Capital 

On September 13, 1788, New York City was established as America’s first capital under the Constitution of the United States.

New York had already hosted the nation’s legislature and served as the de facto capital since 1785. In late 1784, the Contental Congress, operating under the Articles of Confederation, voted to make New York City it’s meeting place until a federal district on the banks of the Delaware River near Philadelphia could be completed. They chose Old City Hall, which was then renamed Federal Hall, to serve as capital building. Federal Hall was then redesigned by Pierre Charles L’Enfant, who later became famous for designing the layout of Washington, D.C. Congress met for the first time in Federal Hall on January 11, 1785.

Three years later, the U.S. Constitution was ratified, outlining the roles of the national government. The new Congress had several decisions to make – including where the seat of government should be. It was an issue of great debate. Some wanted to remain in New York City, while others wanted to meet in Philadelphia, Annapolis, Baltimore, or Lancaster. Finally, on September 13, they passed an ordinance declaring the capital would remain at the “the present Seat of Congress,” specifically leaving out reference to New York City because of the bitterness felt by some.

The following year, Federal Hall was the site of Washington’s inauguration, the first meetings of Congress and the Supreme Court, and the drafting of the Bill of Rights. In 1790, talks continued on where the permanent capital would be. It was a controversial debate. Some wanted to make lower Manhattan into a federal district. Others didn’t want the capital to be in such a commercially-oriented location. In part, there were fears that the city might have aristocratic leanings, as members of high society still enjoyed British fashions and luxuries as well as court-style entertaining. After much debate, it was finally decided that New York wouldn’t make a suitable capital, largely due to financial concerns. Congress met for the last time in Federal Hall on August 12, 1790, before relocating to Philadelphia, and later Washington, D.C.

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