Question 22-24. Choose A, B or C as the best answer. 22. Washington DC was chosen as the US capital:

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Washington, D.C. was established as the US capital for political reasons: it was created by compromise and designed as a neutral, federally controlled seat of government.

1. Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- The Residence Act (1790) and the Compromise of 1790 between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson/James Madison.  
- The desire for a federal district not located in any single state (to avoid state influence).  
- Location along the Potomac chosen to balance northern and southern interests.

2. Step-by-step reasoning
- After the Constitution, Congress first met in New York (1789) and later in Philadelphia (1790). There was debate over a permanent capital’s location.  
- Northern states wanted federal assumption of state debts; southern states opposed this unless a compromise was reached.  
- Hamilton proposed federal assumption of state debts; Jefferson and Madison negotiated a deal: southern congressmen would accept assumption if the capital would be placed on the Potomac.  
- The Residence Act of 1790 authorized a federal district on the Potomac River, and George Washington selected the precise site. The district was deliberately made independent of any state to ensure political neutrality.

3. Intermediate steps / evidence
- Timeline: 1789 (temporary capitals), 1790 (Residence Act), selection of Potomac site and creation of District of Columbia.  
- Purpose: balance regional interests and prevent a state from exercising undue influence over the federal government.

4. Why the correct answer is correct
- The capital’s location resulted from political bargaining and the need for a neutral seat of government; these are explicitly political motivations rather than historical prestige or traffic management.

5. Why other options are incorrect
- a. “for its historic importance” — Washington, D.C. was not chosen because it had longstanding historic status (unlike Rome).  
- c. “to reduce congestion” — relocating to reduce congestion describes planned capitals like Brasília, not the 18th-century US decision.

6. Conclusion
Therefore the best answer is b. for political reasons, which matches the provided correct answer.

Question 22-24. Choose A, B or C as the best answer. 22. Washington DC was chosen as the US capital:Single choice

Similar Questions