33rd United States Congress
The 33rd 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. from March 4, 1853, to March 4, 1855, during the first two years of Franklin Pierce's presidency. During this session, the Kansas–Nebraska Act was passed, an act that soon led to the creation of the Republican Party. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1850 [United States census]. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.
Major events
- March 4, 1853: Franklin Pierce became 14th President of the United States
- April 18, 1853: Vice President William R. King died
- July 8, 1853: Commodore Matthew C. Perry arrived in Edo Bay with a request for a trade treaty
- December 30, 1853: Gadsden Purchase: The United States bought land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest
- March 20, 1854: Republican Party founded
Major legislation
- May 30, 1854: Kansas–Nebraska Act, ch. 59,
- March 3, 1855: The U.S. Congress appropriates $30,000 to create the U.S. Camel Corps
Treaties
- January 26, 1854: Point No Point Treaty signed
- March 31, 1854: Convention of Kanagawa signed with the Japanese government, opening the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate to American trade
Territories organized
- May 30, 1854 – Kansas Territory was organized.
- May 30, 1854 – Nebraska Territory was organized.
Party summary
House of Representatives
For the beginning of this congress, the size of the House was increased from 233 seats to 234 seats, following the 1850 United States census.Leadership
Senate
- President of [the United States Senate|President]: William R. King, until April 18, 1853; vacant thereafter.
- President pro tempore: David R. Atchison, until December 4, 1854
- * Lewis Cass, December 4, 1854
- * Jesse D. Bright, from December 5, 1854
House of Representatives
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, 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 1856; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1858; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1854. The United States consisted of 31 states during this Congress.Illinois">List of United States senators from Illinois">Illinois
Michigan">List of United States senators from Michigan">Michigan
Pennsylvania">List of United States senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
House of Representatives
The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.California">List of United States representatives from California">California
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.Kentucky">List of United States representatives from Kentucky">Kentucky
New Hampshire">List of United States representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
Tennessee">List of United States representatives from Tennessee">Tennessee
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.Senate
- Replacements: 7
- * Democrats (D): 2 seat net gain
- * Whigs (W): 2 seat net loss
- * Free Soilers (FS): 3 seat net gain
- Deaths: 2
- Resignations: 4
- Interim appointments: 1
- '''Total seats with changes: 13'''
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 7
- * Democrats (D): 2 seat net loss
- * Whigs (W): 3 seat net gain
- * Free Soilers (FS): 1 seat net loss
- Deaths: 4
- Resignations: 4
- '''Total seats with changes: 8'''
Committees
List of committees and their party leaders.Senate
- Agriculture
- American Association for the Promotion of Science
- Atmospheric Telegraph Between Washington and Baltimore
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
- Claims
- Commerce
- Distributing Public Revenue Among the States
- District of Columbia
- Engrossed Bills
- Finance
- Foreign Relations
- French Spoilations
- Indian Affairs
- Judiciary
- Library
- Loss of Original Papers of Mark and Richard Bean
- Manufactures
- Mexican Claims Commission
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Naval Affairs
- Ordnance and War Ships
- Pacific Railroad
- Patents and the Patent Office
- Pensions
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Printing
- Private Claims Commission
- Private Land Claims
- Protection of Life and Health in Passenger Ships
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands
- Retrenchment
- Revolutionary Claims
- Roads and Canals
- Sickness on Emigrant Ships
- Tariff Regulation
- Territories
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- Claims
- Commerce
- District of Columbia
- Elections
- Engraving
- Expenditures in the Navy Department
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department
- Expenditures in the State Department
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department
- Expenditures in the War Department
- Expenditures on Public Buildings
- Foreign Affairs
- Indian Affairs
- Invalid Pensions
- Judiciary
- Manufactures
- Mileage
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Naval Affairs
- Patents
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Private Land Claims
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Expenditures
- Public Lands
- Revisal and Unfinished Business
- Revolutionary Claims
- Revolutionary Pensions
- Roads and Canals
- Rules
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories
- Ways and Means
- Whole
Joint committees
- Amending the Constitution on Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections
- Enrolled Bills
- The Library
- Printing
- San Francisco Disaster
Caucuses
Employees
Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#United States Congress">Legislative branch agency directors
Senate
- Chaplain: Clement M. Butler, until December 7, 1853
- * Henry Slicer, elected December 7, 1853
- Secretary: Asbury Dickins
- Sergeant at Arms: Robert Beale, until March 17, 1853
- * Dunning R. McNair, elected March 17, 1853