1st United States Congress
The 1st United States Congress, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, met from March 4, 1789, to March 4, 1791, during the first two years of George Washington's presidency, first at Federal Hall in New York City and later at Congress Hall in Philadelphia. With the initial meeting of the First Congress, the United States federal government officially began operations under the new frame of government established by the 1787 Constitution. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the provisions of Article One of [the United States Constitution#Clause 3: Apportionment of Representatives and taxes|Article I, Section 2, Clause 3], of the Constitution. Both chambers had a Pro-Administration majority. Twelve articles of amendment to the Constitution were passed by this Congress and sent to the states for ratification; the ten ratified as additions to the Constitution on December 15, 1791, are collectively known as the Bill of Rights, with an additional amendment ratified more than two centuries later to become the Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Major events
- April 1, 1789: House of Representatives first achieved a quorum and elected its officers.
- April 6, 1789: Senate first achieved a quorum and elected its officers.
- April 6, 1789: The House and Senate, meeting in joint session, counted the Electoral College ballots, then certified that George Washington was unanimously elected President of the United States and John Adams was elected as President of the United States|Vice President].
- April 21, 1789: John Adams was inaugurated as the nation's first vice president.
- April 30, 1789: George Washington was inaugurated as the nation's first president at Federal Hall in New York City.
- January 8, 1790: President Washington gave the first State of the Union Address
- June 20, 1790: Compromise of 1790: James Madison agreed to not be "strenuous" in opposition to the assumption of state debts by the federal government; Alexander Hamilton agreed to support a national capital site in the South.
Major legislation
Session 1
Held March 4, 1789, through September 29, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City- June 1, 1789: An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths, ch. 1,
- July 4, 1789: Tariff of 1789, ch. 2,
- July 27, 1789: United States Department of State was established, originally named the Department of Foreign Affairs, ch. 4,.
- July 31, 1789: Regulation of the Collection of Duties on Tonnage and Merchandise, ch.5,, which established the United States Customs Service and its ports of entry.
- August 7, 1789: Department of War was established, ch. 7,.
- September 2, 1789: United States Department of the Treasury was established, ch. 12,
- September 24, 1789: Judiciary Act of 1789, ch. 20,, which established the federal judiciary and the office of Attorney General
Session 2
- March 1, 1790: Made provisions for the first census, ch. 2,
- March 26, 1790: Naturalization Act of 1790, ch. 3,
- April 10, 1790: Patent Act of 1790, ch. 7,
- April 30, 1790: Crimes Act of 1790, ch. 9,
- May 31, 1790: Copyright Act of 1790, ch. 15,
- July 16, 1790: Residence Act, ch. 28,, established Washington, D.C., as the seat of government of the United States.
- July 22, 1790: Indian Intercourse Act of 1790, ch. 33,, regulated commerce with the Indian tribes.
- August 4, 1790: Funding Act of 1790, ch. 34,, authorized the "full assumption" of state debts by the federal government.
- August 4, 1790: Collection of Duties Act, ch.35,, among its provisions is Sec. 62,, authorizing establishment of the Revenue-Marine, since 1915 the United States Coast Guard.
- August 10, 1790: Tariff of 1790, ch. 39,
Session 3
- February 18, 1791: Admission of Vermont postdated to March 4, ch. 10,
- February 25, 1791: First Bank of the United States, ch. 10,
- March 3, 1791: Tariff of 1791, ch. 15,, which triggered the Whiskey Rebellion
Constitutional amendments
- September 25, 1789: Approved 12 proposed articles of amendment to the United States Constitution to guarantee individual rights and legal rights|rights] and establish limits on federal government power, and dispatched them to the state legislatures for ratification. :
- * Article one has not been ratified and is still pending before the states.
- * Article two was ratified on May 8, 1992, as the Twenty-seventh Amendment.
- * Articles three through twelve were simultaneously ratified on December 15, 1791. Collectively called the "Bill of Rights," they were enumerated in the Constitution as Amendments I through X.
States ratifying Constitution
- November 21, 1789: North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution and thereby re-joined the Union.
- May 29, 1790: Rhode Island became the 13th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution and thereby re-joined the Union.
Territories organized
- May 26, 1790: Territory South of the River Ohio organized from land ceded by North Carolina.
Party summary
Details on changes are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
Senate
During this congress, two Senate seats were added for North Carolina and Rhode Island when each ratified the Constitution.House of Representatives
During this congress, five House seats were added for North Carolina and one House seat was added for Rhode Island when they ratified the Constitution.Leadership
Senate
- President: John Adams
- President pro tempore: John Langdon
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Frederick Muhlenberg
Members
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 re-election in 1790; Class 2 meant their term ended with the next Congress, requiring re-election in 1792; and Class 3 meant their term lasted through the next two Congresses, requiring re-election in 1794.[List of [United States senators from Connecticut|Connecticut]]
Delaware">List of United States senators from Delaware">Delaware
Georgia">List of United States senators from Georgia">Georgia
Maryland">List of United States senators from Maryland">Maryland
Massachusetts">List of United States senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
New Hampshire">List of United States senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
New Jersey">List of United States senators from New Jersey">New Jersey
New York">List of United States senators from New York">New York
North Carolina">List of United States senators from North Carolina">North Carolina
Pennsylvania">List of United States senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
Rhode Island">List of United States senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
South Carolina">List of United States senators from South Carolina">South Carolina
Virginia">List of United States senators from Virginia">Virginia
House of Representatives
The names of representatives are listed by their districts.Connecticut">List of United States representatives from Connecticut">Connecticut
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.Delaware">List of United States representatives from Delaware">Delaware
Georgia">List of United States representatives from Georgia">Georgia
Maryland">List of United States representatives from Maryland">Maryland
Massachusetts">List of United States representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
New Hampshire">List of United States representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.New Jersey">List of United States representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.New York">List of United States representatives from New York">New York
North Carolina">List of United States representatives from North Carolina">North Carolina
Pennsylvania">List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.Rhode Island">List of United States representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
South Carolina">List of United States representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina
Virginia">List of United States representatives from Virginia">Virginia
Changes in membership
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.New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island were the last states to ratify the U.S. Constitution and, due to their late ratification, were unable to send full representation at the beginning of this Congress. Six Senators and nine Representatives were subsequently seated from these states during the sessions as noted.
Senate
There was 1 resignation, 1 death, 1 replacement of a temporary appointee, and 6 new seats. The Anti-Administration Senators picked up 1 new seat and the Pro-Administration Senators picked up 5 new seats.House of Representatives
There was 2 resignations, 1 death, and 6 new seats. Anti-Administration members picked up 3 seats and Pro-Administration members picked up 2 seats.Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.Senate
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Elections
- Rules
- Ways and Means
- Whole |Whole]
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills
Employees
Senate
- Secretary: Samuel A. Otis, elected April 8, 1789
- Doorkeeper: James Mathers, elected April 7, 1789
- Chaplain:
- * Samuel Provoost, elected April 25, 1789
- * William White, elected December 9, 1790
House of Representatives
- Clerk: John J. Beckley
- Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton, elected May 12, 1789
- Doorkeeper: Gifford Dalley
- Chaplain:
- * William Linn, elected May 1, 1789
- * Samuel Blair, elected December 10, 1790
- Clerk of the United States House of Representatives|Reading Clerks]: John Beckley.