Federal Hall

Federal Hall

• Built in 1700→ New York’s city hall
• was then the first Capitol Building of the United States under constitution.
• George Washington was inaugurated there.
• Demolished in 1812
• Federal Hall National Memorial established 1812→ Wall Street
• As United Custom States House  
• Now operated by the National Park Service

• First called city hall

• New York’s federal hall was the location of the jailing, and trial of John Peter Zenger
• after Revolution, City Hall served as the meeting place for the Congress of the United States
• then renamed Federal Hall→ became first capitol of the United States.
• 1st United States Congress met there on March 4, 1789, to establish the new federal government
• and the first thing they did was count the votes for the election that George Washington ultimately won
• proposal and initial ratification of the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution happened there
• classified as Federal Hall National Historic Sites→ May 26 1939
• redesignated as national memorial a national memorial on August 11, 1955