1st United States Congress
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The First United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met from March 4, 1789 to March 3, 1791, during the first two years of the first administration of U.S. President George Washington, first at Federal Hall at 26 Wall Street in New York City and later at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the provisions of the United States Constitution. Both chambers had a Pro-Administration majority.
[edit] Dates of sessions
- First session: March 4, 1789 - September 29, 1789 New York, New York
- Second session: January 4, 1790 - August 12, 1790 New York, New York
- Third session: December 6, 1790 - March 3, 1791 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — a lame duck session
Previous congress: Confederation Congress
Next congress: 2nd Congress
[edit] Party summary
New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island, were the last states to ratify the U.S. Constitution, and because of their late ratification, were unable to send full representation at the beginning of this Congress. Five Senators and nine Representatives were subsequently seated from these states.
There were no political parties in this Congress. Members are informally grouped into factions of similar interest, based on an analysis of their voting record. [1]
The count below identifies affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly ratifying states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
TOTAL members: 26 |
TOTAL members: 65 |
[edit] Leadership
- Senate
- Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate):, took office April 21, 1789.
- President pro tempore of the Senate:
- John Langdon, Pro-Administration of New Hampshire, first elected April 6, 1789
- House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House
- Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg, Pro-Administration of Pennsylvania, elected April 1, 1789
[edit] Major events
- Main article: Events of 1789; Events of 1790; Events of 1791
- April 30, 1789 - George Washington was inaugurated at Federal Hall in New York City, becoming the first President of the United States
- July 14, 1789 - French Revolution began with the storming of the Bastille
- November 21, 1789 - North Carolina ratified the United States Constitution and became the 12th U.S. state
- May 29, 1790 - Rhode Island ratified the United States Constitution and became the 13th U.S. state
- French Revolution (1789 - 1792)
- Russo-Turkish War, 1787-1792
[edit] Major legislation
- Main article: List of United States federal legislation in the 1st Congress
- Session 1
- June 1, 1789 - An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths, ch. 1, 1 Stat. 23
- July 4, 1789 - Hamilton Tariff, ch. 2, 1 Stat. 24
- July 27, 1789 - The United States Department of State, was established, originally named the Department of Foreign Affairs.
- August 7, 1789 - The United States War Department was established.
- September 2, 1789 - The United States Department of the Treasury was established.
- September 24, 1789 - The Office of the U.S. Attorney General was established, Judiciary Act of 1789, ch. 20, 1 Stat. 73.
- September 24, 1789 - The U.S. Judicial System was established, Judiciary Act of 1789, ch. 20, 1 Stat. 73.
- September 25, 1789 - The Bill of Rights, twelve proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution were passed and sent to the states for ratification.
- Session 2
- March 1, 1790 - Made provisions for the first U.S. Census
- March 26, 1790 - Naturalization Act of 1790, ch. 3, 1 Stat. 103
- April 10, 1790 - Patent Act, ch. 7, 1 Stat. 109
- May 26, 1790 - Southwest Territory was created from a portion of North Carolina: Southwest Ordinance, ch. 14, 1 Stat. 123.
- May 31, 1790 - Copyright Act of 1790, ch. 15, 1 Stat. 124
- July 6, 1790 - Residence Act, ch. 28, 1 Stat. 130, established Washington, D.C. as the seat of government of the United States.
- July 22, 1790 - Indian Intercourse Act of 1790, ch. 33, 1 Stat. 137, regulated commerce with the Indian tribes.
- Session 3
- February 25, 1791 - First Bank of the United States, ch. 10, 1 Stat. 191
- March 3, 1791 - Whiskey Act, ch. 15, 1 Stat. 199, which triggered the Whiskey Rebellion
[edit] Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
- See also: 1st United States Congress - political parties
- See also: 1st United States Congress - State Delegations
- See also: United States House elections, 1789
[edit] Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, all Senators were newly elected, and Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1790; Class 2 meant their term ended with the next Congress, requiring reelection in 1792; and Class 3 meant their term lasted through the next two Congresses, requiring reelection in 1794.
- See also: Category:United States Senators
- See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state
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[edit] House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.
Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.
- See also: Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives
- See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state
[edit] Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
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[edit] Officers
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[edit] Notes
- ^ Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress.
- ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ All representatives elected statewide from individual districts.
- ^ All representatives elected statewide from individual districts.
- ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ This seat was returned to the Anti-Administration faction in the third session.
[edit] References
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
[edit] External links
- 1st Federal Congress Project
- Statutes at Large, 1789-1875
- Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
- U.S. House of Representatives: House History
- U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists
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