When future President of the United States Andrew Jackson established this city in 1819 he named it after an ancient city of Egypt. What is it?

The city you're looking for is Memphis, Tennessee. This prominent American city owes its name to the ancient capital of Egypt, a decision made by its founders in 1819. Among these founders was Andrew Jackson, who would later become the seventh President of the United States. He, along with John Overton and James Winchester, established the city on the Fourth Chickasaw Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.

The choice to name the new settlement "Memphis" was inspired by a notable geographical parallel. Just as the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis sat strategically on the Nile River, the American founders envisioned their new city on the Mississippi River as a vital hub for trade and culture. The original Memphis, Egypt, was a powerful and enduring capital, known for its significance at the head of the Nile Delta. The American proprietors hoped for similar prosperity and importance for their burgeoning river port in the American South.

The land for Memphis, Tennessee, became available for white settlement after the 1818 Jackson Purchase, which acquired territory from the Chickasaw Nation. The founders laid out a plan for a large city, complete with a grid of streets and public squares. This deliberate naming and planning reflected their ambitions for the city to become a major commercial center, leveraging its advantageous position on one of North America's greatest waterways.