1st United States Congress

1st United States Congress
Robert Hinshelwood · Public domain · source
Congress	1st
Caption	Depiction of an early congressional session
Start	March 4, 1789
End	March 4, 1791
President	George Washington
Vice president	John Adams
Pro tem	John Langdon, Richard Henry Lee
Speaker	Frederick Muhlenberg
Senators	26–30
Reps	59–65
H-majority	Pro-Administration
S-majority	Pro-Administration

1st United States Congress convened from 1789 to 1791, marking the inaugural federal legislature under the newly ratified United States Constitution. Meeting initially in Federal Hall in New York City and later in Congress Hall in Philadelphia, it transformed the blueprint of the Constitution into a functioning government. Its landmark achievements included establishing the presidential cabinet, the federal judiciary, and the nation's financial system, setting enduring precedents for the American republic.

Major legislation

The Congress passed foundational statutes that shaped the early republic. The Tariff of 1789 provided the government's first revenue, while the Judiciary Act of 1789 created the Supreme Court and the federal district court system. The "Hamilton Tariff" and subsequent acts championed by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton led to the Funding Act of 1790 and the Assumption Act of 1790, which addressed Revolutionary War debt. It also chartered the First Bank of the United States and passed the Copyright Act of 1790. Furthermore, it drafted the Bill of Rights, with twelve amendments sent to the states for ratification.

Leadership

George Washington presided as the first President, with John Adams serving as Vice President and president of the Senate. In the Senate, John Langdon of New Hampshire and Richard Henry Lee of Virginia alternated as President pro tempore. The House Speaker was Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania. Key committee leaders included Oliver Ellsworth in the Senate Judiciary discussions and James Madison in the House, who was instrumental in drafting legislation and the Bill of Rights.

Members

The Senate initially had 22 members from 11 states, growing to 26 as North Carolina and Rhode Island ratified the Constitution. Notable senators included Rufus King of New York, Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, and Charles Carroll from Maryland. The House began with 59 representatives, including influential figures like Fisher Ames from Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and James Madison of Virginia. Political factions were nascent, with members generally aligning as either Pro-Administration, supporting Washington's and Hamilton's programs, or Anti-Administration.

Sessions and key dates

The First Congress convened in three sessions. The first session met at Federal Hall in New York City from March 4, 1789, to September 29, 1789, achieving a quorum in early April. The second session also in New York City lasted from January 4, 1790, to August 12, 1790. The third and final session was held in Congress Hall in Philadelphia, from December 6, 1790, to March 3, 1791. Key dates include the inauguration of President Washington on April 30, 1789, and the submission of the Bill of Rights to the states on September 25, 1789.

Constitutional foundation and establishment

This Congress was the first to operate under the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, which replaced the Articles of Confederation. Its immediate tasks, outlined in Article I and Article II, were to organize the government, confirm executive officers like Secretary Hamilton and Secretary Jefferson, and establish federal authority. Decisions such as creating the Treasury Department and navigating the Compromise of 1790 over the national debt assumption and the location of the national capital were critical in defining the balance of power between the states and the new federal system.

Category:1st United States Congress