Strange-but-true stories about the US Constitution
On June 20, 1790, when Congress was temporarily meeting in New York City, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson hosted a dinner. In attendance were Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Representative from Virginia James Madison. Keep in mind these men were on opposing ends of the political spectrum. Hamilton, a Federalist, wanted the Federal Government … Continue reading The Compromise of 1790
Today’s post comes from Samantha Payne, intern in the Center for Legislative Archives in Washington, DC. In 1781, Rhode Island began acquiring nicknames. American newspapers called it “the perverse sister.” “An evil genius.” The “Quintessence of Villainy.” The name “Rogue Island” stuck all the way to 1787, when the Constitutional Convention began and the small state refused … Continue reading “Rogue Island”: The last state to ratify the Constitution
Continuing our celebration of the 225th Anniversary of the First Congress, the National Archives is displaying George Washington's first annual address from January 6 to February 4, 2015, in the East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives in Washington, DC. This version, from the first Journal of the House of Representatives, shows the final page of George Washington's annual address (what … Continue reading Currently on Exhibit: George Washington’s First Annual Message
Today’s post comes from Christine Blackerby, an Outreach Specialist at the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. On January 8, 1790, President George Washington delivered a speech at Federal Hall in New York City. This speech, called his first annual message to Congress (which we now refer to as the State … Continue reading Annual Message on the State of the Union: The President Speaks
Today’s post comes from Christine Blackerby, an Outreach Specialist at the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Two hundred and twenty-five years ago on January 4, 1790, the First Congress returned from a break after a very productive first session. Shortly afterward, the Senate received notice from President George Washington that he … Continue reading Advice and Consent and the Recess Appointment
Visitors to downtown Washington, DC, on December 13, 1952, were treated to an interesting sight—armored vehicles escorted by a barrage of military and police personnel. It wasn’t a holiday or the Presidential motorcade or a visiting dignitary. On that chilly December morning, passersby saw the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States … Continue reading Carting the Charters
September 17 marks the annual celebration known as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. On the morning of June 18, 2014, in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building First Lady Michelle Obama congratulated a room full of 35 new American citizens and their families. Her speech marked the culmination of a process that individuals have … Continue reading I am an American
Continuing our celebration of the 225th Anniversary of the First Congress the National Archives is displaying the original Judiciary Act of 1789. For three months beginning September 17, 2014, you can see the landmark piece of legislation in the Rubenstein Gallery at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Article III of the U.S. Constitution established the Supreme … Continue reading On Exhibit: The Judiciary Act of 1789
August 24, 2014, marks the 200th anniversary of the British burning of Washington during the War of 1812. In August 1814, British forces occupying the Chesapeake Bay began to sail up the Patuxent River in Maryland. Fearing an attack on the capital, Secretary of State James Monroe offered to scout the British position and report … Continue reading The burning of Washington
Continuing our celebration of the 225th Anniversary of the First Congress, the National Archives is displaying a draft of the Bill of Rights from August 12 to September 11, 2014, in the East Rotunda Gallery. During the 1787–1788 Constitutional ratification process, opponents criticized the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights. They argued that … Continue reading Featured Document: Senate Revisions to the Proposed Bill of Rights
