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A lot of you guys are just assuming the largest city will be the Capitol.
This is only the case in a handful of newer states. Like Arizona and Georgia.
Why isnt NYC, Philadelphia, SF/LA, Dallas, Miami, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Baltimore, Manchester, Portland, Burlington, Detroit, Portland OR, Albuquerque the capitol of their own states?
Why Brasilia? Canberra? DC?
Centrality is huge.
Most countries seem to have their main city as their capitol. It is true that many of our states have their capitals in smaller cities but when these cities were made capitals (mostly in the 1800s) no one knew at the time they would not become the main city in the state.
Brasilia, Canberra and DC are all brand new capitals created in Federal districts of very large nations. Is Massachusetts ready to give away an entire county to be the new Capital District? Otherwise, Boston the traditional "capital of New England" makes the most sense.
Only newer colonial remnant countries choose new cities to be their capitals. Everywhere else capitals are where power, money and population are concentrated. I also think there is a lot to be said for having capitals where there is a large media concentration and "peasants with pitchforks" to hold lawmakers accountable.
Only newer colonial remnant countries choose new cities to be their capitals. Everywhere else capitals are where power, money and population are concentrated. I also think there is a lot to be said for having capitals where there is a large media concentration and "peasants with pitchforks" to hold lawmakers accountable.
There may be more peasants in Worcester than in Boston.For pitchforks you might need to go up north
The average American has probably never even heard of most of those other small cities.
The easy and obvious answer is Boston.
To be fair, the average American probably knows next to nothing about Albany, NY, yet its the capital of the state with the largest and most influential city.
I still vote for Boston, just saying that thats not a strong argument.
To be fair, the average American probably knows next to nothing about Albany, NY, yet its the capital of the state with the largest and most influential city.
I still vote for Boston, just saying that thats not a strong argument.
Actually, there is strong historical reasons for Albany being the capital of New York.
Albany is actually older than New York City, Fort Nassau being settled by Dutch traders about 10 years before Fort Amsterdam in Manhattan. During the colonial era, Albany captured much of the North American fur trade with first the Mahicans and then the Iroquois Indians with connections to other tribes all the way to the Great Lakes and westward.
In a sense, Albany and New York City were similar to Montreal and Quebec City. Albany and Montreal were the main upriver trading posts while NYC and Quebec were the main downriver ports. The only difference is which cities grew larger in the long run.
So, Albany was already an important city to New York in the 1600s. And the British occupation of New York City from 1776 to 1783 (basically almost the entire Revolution) caused the New Yorkers to want to move their capital to a safer place. Albany was the most logical choice.
I do not think Boston has to worry about being invaded by the Royal Navy anymore. So, Boston remains the logical choice.
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