The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. -Thomas Jefferson

The Nine Capitals of the United States

Congress has met in nine locations since 1774, when it first convened in Philadelphia. Before it established Washington, D.C. as the permanent seat of government, Congress also met in Baltimore; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; York, Pennsylvania; Princeton, New Jersey; Annapolis, Maryland; Trenton, New Jersey; and New York.

Chronological Table of the Capitals

First Continental Congress

September 5, 1774 to October 24, 1774:
Philadelphia, Carpenter's Hall

Second Continental Congress

May 10, 1775 to December 12, 1776: Philadelphia, State House

December 20, 1776 to February 27, 1777: Baltimore, Henry Fite's House

March 4, 1777 to September 18, 1777: Philadelphia, State House

September 27, 1777 (one day): Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Court House

September 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778: York, Pennsylvania, Court House

July 2, 1778 to March 1, 1781: Philadelphia, College Hall, then State House

Congress under the Articles of Confederation

March 1, 1781 to June 21, 1783:
Philadelphia, State House

June 30, 1783 to November 4, 1783:
Princeton, New Jersey, "Prospect," then Nassau Hall

November 26, 1783 to August 19, 1784:
Annapolis, Maryland, State House

November 1, 1784 to December 24, 1784: Trenton, New Jersey, French Arms Tavern

January 11, 1785 to Autumn 1788:
New York, City Hall, then Fraunce's Tavern

Congress under the Constitution

March 4, 1789 to August 12, 1790:
New York, Federal Hall

December 6, 1790 to May 14, 1800:
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County Building-Congress Hall

November 17, 1800:
Washington, U.S. Capitol

Source: Robert Fortenbaugh, The Nine Capitals of the United States, page 9.