1st United States Congress
Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox 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 (and current) frame of government established by the 1787 Constitution. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the provisions of 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. Template:TOC limit
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 (having received 34 of 69 votes) was elected as Vice President.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- April 21, 1789: John Adams was inaugurated as the nation's first vice president.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=VPinaugurations>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 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
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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, Template:USStat
- July 4, 1789: Tariff of 1789, ch. 2, Template:USStat
- July 27, 1789: United States Department of State was established, originally named the Department of Foreign Affairs, ch. 4, Template:USStat.
- July 31, 1789: Regulation of the Collection of Duties on Tonnage and Merchandise, ch.5, Template:USStat, which established the United States Customs Service and its ports of entry.
- August 7, 1789: Department of War was established, ch. 7, Template:USStat.
- September 2, 1789: United States Department of the Treasury was established, ch. 12, Template:USStat
- September 24, 1789: Judiciary Act of 1789, ch. 20, Template:USStat, which established the federal judiciary and the office of Attorney General
Session 2
Held January 4, 1790, through August 12, 1790, at Federal Hall in New York City
- March 1, 1790: Made provisions for the first census, ch. 2, Template:USStat
- March 26, 1790: Naturalization Act of 1790, ch. 3, Template:USStat
- April 10, 1790: Patent Act of 1790, ch. 7, Template:USStat
- April 30, 1790: Crimes Act of 1790, ch. 9, Template:USStat
- May 31, 1790: Copyright Act of 1790, ch. 15, Template:USStat
- July 16, 1790: Residence Act, ch. 28, Template:USStat, established Washington, D.C., as the seat of government of the United States.
- July 22, 1790: Indian Intercourse Act of 1790, ch. 33, Template:USStat, regulated commerce with the Indian tribes.
- August 4, 1790: Funding Act of 1790, ch. 34, Template:USStat, authorized the "full assumption" of state debts by the federal government.
- August 4, 1790: Collection of Duties Act, ch.35, Template:USStat, among its provisions is Sec. 62, Template:USStat, authorizing establishment of the Revenue-Marine, since 1915 the United States Coast Guard.
- August 10, 1790: Tariff of 1790, ch. 39, Template:USStat
Session 3
Held December 6, 1790, through March 3, 1791, at Congress Hall in Philadelphia
- February 18, 1791: Admission of Vermont postdated to March 4, ch. 10, Template:USStat
- February 25, 1791: First Bank of the United States, ch. 10, Template:USStat
- March 3, 1791: Tariff of 1791, ch. 15, Template:USStat, 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 establish limits on federal government power, and dispatched them to the state legislatures for ratification. Template:USStat:
- 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 Amendmenents 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. Template:USStat
Party summary
Template:Cleanup 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.<ref name="Martis">Template:Cite book</ref>
Details on changes are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
Senate
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During this congress, two Senate seats were added for North Carolina and Rhode Island when each ratified the Constitution.
House of Representatives
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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 (P)
- President pro tempore: John Langdon (P)
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
Template:Main 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. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
- Template:Party stripe1. Jonathan Elmer (P)
- Template:Party stripe2. William Paterson (P), until November 13, 1790
- Template:Party stripePhilemon Dickinson (P), from December 6, 1790
- Template:Party stripe1. Philip Schuyler (P), from July 27, 1789
- Template:Party stripe3. Rufus King (P), from July 25, 1789
- Template:Party stripe2. Samuel Johnston (P), from November 27, 1789
- Template:Party stripe3. Benjamin Hawkins (P), from November 27, 1789
- Template:Party stripe1. Theodore Foster (P), from June 25, 1790
- Template:Party stripe2. Joseph Stanton Jr. (A), from June 25, 1790
- Template:Party stripe1. William Grayson (A), until March 12, 1790
- Template:Party stripeJohn Walker (P), March 31, 1790 – November 9, 1790
- Template:Party stripeJames Monroe (A), from November 9, 1790
- Template:Party stripe2. Richard Henry Lee (A)
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John Adams
John Langdon
House of Representatives
Template:Main The names of representatives are listed by their districts.
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All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Huntington (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Roger Sherman (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jonathan Sturges (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jonathan Trumbull Jr. (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jeremiah Wadsworth (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Jackson (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Abraham Baldwin (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Mathews (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Michael J. Stone (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joshua Seney (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Contee (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Smith (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Gale (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Carroll (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Fisher Ames (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Goodhue (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elbridge Gerry (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Theodore Sedgwick (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Partridge (P), until August 14, 1790, vacant thereafter
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Thatcher (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Leonard (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jonathan Grout (A)
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Abiel Foster (P), from June 23, 1789
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Nicholas Gilman (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Livermore (A)
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elias Boudinot (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lambert Cadwalader (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Schureman (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Sinnickson (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Floyd (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Laurance (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Egbert Benson (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Hathorn (A), from April 23, 1789
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Peter Silvester (P), from April 22, 1789
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jeremiah Van Rensselaer (A), from May 9, 1789
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Baptista Ashe (A), from March 24, 1790
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Hugh Williamson (A), from March 19, 1790
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Timothy Bloodworth (A), from April 6, 1790
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Steele (P), from April 19, 1790
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Sevier (P), from June 16, 1790
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Clymer (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Fitzsimons (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Hartley (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Hiester (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Frederick Muhlenberg (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Peter Muhlenberg (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Scott (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry Wynkoop (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Bourne (P), from December 17, 1790
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William L. Smith (P), from April 13, 1789
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Aedanus Burke (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Huger (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Sumter (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Tudor Tucker (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Alexander White (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Brown (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Andrew Moore (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Bland Lee (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Madison (P)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Isaac Coles (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Page (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Josiah Parker (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Theodorick Bland (A), until June 1, 1790
- Template:Party stripeWilliam B. Giles (A), from December 7, 1790
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Griffin (P)
Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania
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.<ref name="Martis"/>
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
Template:See also
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.
Template:Ordinal US Congress change
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| New York (3)
| rowspan=4 | New seats
| rowspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | State legislature failed to choose senator until after Congress began.
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Rufus King (P)
| July 25, 1789
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| New York (1)
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Philip John Schuyler (P)
| July 27, 1789
|-
| North Carolina (3)
| rowspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | North Carolina ratified the constitution on November 21, 1789.
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Benjamin Hawkins (P)
| rowspan=2 | Elected November 27, 1789
|-
| North Carolina (2)
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Samuel Johnston (P)
|-
| Virginia
(1)
| Template:Party shading/Anti-Administration | William Grayson (A)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died March 12, 1790.
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | John Walker (P)
| Appointed March 31, 1790
|-
| Rhode Island (1)
| rowspan=2 | New seats
| rowspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | Rhode Island ratified the constitution on May 29, 1790.
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Theodore Foster (P)
| rowspan=2 | Elected June 7, 1790
|-
| Rhode Island (2)
| Template:Party shading/Anti-Administration | Joseph Stanton Jr. (A)
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| Virginia
(1)
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | John Walker (P)
| style="font-size:80%" | James Monroe was elected to the seat of Senator William Grayson.
| Template:Party shading/Anti-Administration | James Monroe (A)
| Elected November 9, 1790
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| New Jersey (2)
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | William Paterson (P)
| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned November 13, 1790,
having been elected Governor of New Jersey.
| Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Philemon Dickinson (P)
| Elected November 23, 1790
|}
House of Representatives
Template:See also 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. Template:Ordinal US Congress change |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Benjamin West (P) | Member-elect declined to serve and a new member was elected in the first congressional special election. | Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Abiel Foster (P) | June 23, 1789 |- | Template:Ushr | rowspan=5 | New seats | rowspan=5 | North Carolina ratified the constitution November 21, 1789. | Template:Party shading/Anti-Administration | John Baptista Ashe (A) | March 24, 1790 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Anti-Administration | Hugh Williamson (A) | March 19, 1790 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Anti-Administration | Timothy Bloodworth (A) | April 6, 1790 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | John Steele (P) | April 19, 1790 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | John Sevier (P) | June 16, 1790 |- | Template:Ushr | New seat | Rhode Island ratified the constitution May 29, 1790. | Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | Benjamin Bourne (P) | December 17, 1790 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Anti-Administration | Theodorick Bland (A) | Died June 1, 1790. | Template:Party shading/Anti-Administration | William B. Giles (A) | December 7, 1790 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Pro-Administration | George Partridge (P) | Resigned August 14, 1790. | colspan=2 | Remained vacant until next Congress |}
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Senate
House of Representatives
- Elections (Chairman: N/A)
- Rules (Select)
- Ways and Means (Chairman: Thomas Fitzsimons)
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Paine Wingate)
Employees
Senate
- Secretary: Samuel A. Otis, elected April 8, 1789
- Doorkeeper: James Mathers, elected April 7, 1789
- Chaplain:
- Samuel Provoost (Episcopalian), elected April 25, 1789
- William White (Episcopalian), 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 (Presbyterian), elected May 1, 1789
- Samuel Blair (Presbyterian), elected December 10, 1790
- Reading Clerks: John Beckley.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
- 1788–89 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
- 1790 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
Notes
References
Further reading
- Bickford, Charlene Bangs, and Kenneth R. Bowling. Birth of the nation: the First Federal Congress, 1789–1791 (Rowman & Littlefield, 1989)
- Bordewich, Fergus M. The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government (2016)
- Bowling, Kenneth R. Politics in the first Congress, 1789–1791 (Taylor & Francis, 1990)
- Christman, Margaret C.S. The first federal congress, 1789–1791 (Smithsonian Inst Pr, 1989.)
- Currie, David P. "The Constitution in Congress: Substantive Issues in the First Congress, 1789–1791." The University of Chicago Law Review 61 (1994): 775–865. online
- Jillson, Calvin C., and Rick K. Wilson. Congressional Dynamics: Structure, Coordination, and Choice in the First American Congress, 1774–1789 (Stanford University Press, 1994)
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
External links
Template:Wikisource Template:Wikisource
- 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 United States Congress
- House History from the U.S. House of Representatives
- Statistics & Lists from the U.S. Senate
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