2nd United States Congress

2nd United States Congress
Congress	2nd
Start	March 4, 1791
End	March 4, 1793
President	George Washington
Pro-tempore	Richard Henry Lee, John Langdon
Speaker	Jonathan Trumbull Jr.
Members	69–70 Senators, 65–69 Representatives
Session-start1	October 24, 1791
Session-end1	May 8, 1792
Session-start2	November 5, 1792
Session-end2	March 2, 1793

Contents

Major legislation
Leadership
Members
Constitutional amendments
Sessions
See also

2nd United States Congress convened from March 4, 1791, to March 4, 1793, during the third and fourth years of George Washington's presidency. Meeting at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, it was the first Congress to assemble after the ratification of the United States Bill of Rights. This session grappled with foundational financial policies, the admission of new states, and escalating tensions on the Northwestern frontier.

Major legislation

The Congress passed several landmark acts that shaped the early republic's economic and military foundations. The Coinage Act of 1792, championed by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, established the United States Mint and defined the United States dollar. The Militia Acts of 1792 empowered the president to call state militias into federal service, a direct response to conflicts like the Northwest Indian War. Other significant measures included the Postal Service Act, which reformed the United States Post Office Department, and an act providing for the military academy at West Point, though it would not be founded until 1802. The Apportionment Act of 1792 set the size of the House for the ensuing decade.

Leadership

Jonathan Trumbull Jr. of Connecticut served as Speaker of the House. In the Senate, the office of President pro tempore was held successively by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia and John Langdon of New Hampshire. The executive branch was led by President George Washington, with his cabinet including Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, Alexander Hamilton at the Treasury, Henry Knox as Secretary of War, and Edmund Randolph as the first Attorney General.

Members

This Congress saw the admission of Vermont and Kentucky as the 14th and 15th states, altering its composition. The pro-administration faction, precursors to the Federalist Party, generally held a majority, while opponents, later known as the Democratic-Republican Party, were led by figures like James Madison and William Branch Giles. Notable senators included Rufus King of New York, Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut, and Aaron Burr of New York. Influential representatives included Fisher Ames of Massachusetts, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, and Madison himself, who served in the House.

Constitutional amendments

The 2nd Congress oversaw the ratification of the first ten amendments, known collectively as the United States Bill of Rights, which were formally adopted on December 15, 1791. Additionally, it proposed the Eleventh Amendment on March 4, 1794, in response to the Supreme Court case Chisholm v. Georgia. This amendment, which clarified sovereign immunity, was not ratified until 1795, after this Congress had adjourned.

Sessions

The Congress met for two sessions. The first session convened at Congress Hall on October 24, 1791, and adjourned on May 8, 1792. The second session ran from November 5, 1792, to March 2, 1793. Key debates during these sessions included the ongoing financial plans of Alexander Hamilton, the government's response to the Whiskey Rebellion (which began to ferment during this period), and military strategy against the Western Confederacy led by chiefs like Little Turtle.