27th United States Congress

The 27th 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 in Washington, D.C., between March 4, 1841, and March 4, 1843, during the one-month presidency of William Henry Harrison and the first two years of the presidency of his successor, John Tyler. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1830 [United States census]. Both chambers had a Whig majority, making the 27th Congress the only Whig-controlled Congress of the Second Party System.

Major events

March 4, 1841: William Henry Harrison was inaugurated as President of the United States
April 4, 1841: President Harrison died and Vice President John Tyler became President
August 16, 1841: President Tyler's veto of a bill to re-establish the Second Bank of the United States led Whig Party members to riot outside the White House in the most violent demonstration on White House grounds in U.S. history.
May 19, 1842: Dorr Rebellion
December 17, 1842: Samuel W. Trotti of South Carolina, became the first Italian American to serve in Congress.

Major legislation

April 19, 1841: Bankruptcy Act of 1841, ch. 9,
September 4, 1841: Preemption Act of 1841, ch. 16,
August 4, 1842: Armed Occupation Act,
August 30, 1842: Tariff of 1842, ch. 270,

Treaties

August 9, 1842: Webster-Ashburton Treaty signed, establishing the United States–Canada border east of the Rocky Mountains.

Leadership

Senate

President of [the United States Senate|President]: John Tyler, until April 4, 1841, thereafter vacant
Presidents pro tempore: William R. King, elected March 4, 1841
* Samuel L. Southard, elected March 11, 1841
* Willie P. Mangum, elected May 31, 1842

House of Representatives

Speaker: John D. White

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and representatives are listed by district.

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, Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1844; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1846; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1842.

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