In the great American West from the Appalachians to the Pacific Ocean, founding new Territories or new States led to the creation of new capital cities, and the subsequent relocation of these cities' sites, to conform to the contemporary colonial ambitions of the Anglo-American settlers and administrators. Capital cities, therefore, were often moved according to the everchanging demographic of the population, the instability of economic conditions during the early years of colonial settlement, and a variety of private interest conflicts. Two case studies - Illinois and Minnesota - are scrutinized in this article to shed light on an overlooked phenomenon, which occurred in every Territory and State and which can facilitate our understanding of the early settlers' value systems.
United States; Capital-city; Mobility