New York or Philadelphia capital

[tom]

What if one of these cities had stayed the capital? Would it be even larger than it is here? How would that state's position in the Union be affected?

[bill_bruno]

The capital being moved to the Potomac was the trade-off for Virginia signing-off on federal assumption of various state debts. I think a capital that was in a dominant city would suggest stronger trends towards centralization (think of London or Paris). On the other hand, what are the centrifugal effects of the non-creation of the national debt?

[Michael E Johnson]

I think this would perhaps curtail somewhat the Southern domination of/influence on the national government . Washington City/DC was really a Southern city in its character and culture until the 1960's.A major difference would probably arise in the Civil War.So much of that conflict was about the Union manuvering to prevent Dixie from capturing Washington.If the capital was in Philadelphia or New York,this wouldnt have been an issue and Richmond would probably have fallen alot sooner than it did in OTL. Maybe they would have left their capital in Montgomery.

[Norman]

Originally Posted by Michael E Johnson

I think this would perhaps curtail somewhat the Southern domination of/influence on the national government . Washington City/DC was really a Southern city in its character and culture until the 1960's.A major difference would probably arise in the Civil War.So much of that conflict was about the Union manuvering to prevent Dixie from capturing Washington.If the capital was in Philadelphia or New York,this wouldnt have been an issue and Richmond would probably have fallen alot sooner than it did in OTL. Maybe they would have left their capital in Montgomery.

This is a great point, that leads to a more subtle problem if DC isn't the US capital, it may also have made seccession more plausible as an alternative to Civil War.

For example, there were draft riots in New York during the ACW. If it were the capital, considering the demogogic nature of some of our politicians, how would things have turned out?