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
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
Today’s post comes from Dan Ruprecht, intern in the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. On September 11, 1789, President George Washington sent the first cabinet nomination under the new U.S. Constitution to the Senate. Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution gave the power to determine federal officers to … Continue reading The Name Speaks for Itself
Today’s post comes from Dan Ruprecht, intern in the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. From its earliest days, the Federal Government has been concerned with preserving its records. During its very first session, the First Congress under the new Constitution in 1789 passed the Records and Seals Act, setting … Continue reading Setting the Records Straight
This post continues our celebration of the 225th anniversary of the First Congress. The Constitution gives the President the “power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties.” This first time the President attempted to seek that advice occurred in August 1789 when first President George Washington sent a message … Continue reading The Senate irritates the President
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
Today’s post comes from Christine Blackerby, an Outreach Specialist at the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The Center for Legislative Archives is marking the 225th anniversary of the First Congress by sharing documents on Tumblr and Twitter; use #Congress225 to see all the postings. Two hundred and twenty-five years ago, on August 3, … Continue reading The Origins of Senatorial Courtesy
Today’s post comes from Dan Ruprecht, intern in the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The Center for Legislative Archives is marking the 225th anniversary of the First Congress by sharing documents on Tumblr and Twitter; use #Congress225 to see all the postings. When Congress opened its doors under the new Constitution for the first … Continue reading New York’s First Senators: Late to Their Own Party
Today’s post comes from David Steinbach, intern in the National Archives History Office. On July 2, 1964, with Martin Luther King, Jr., directly behind him, President Lyndon Johnson scrawled his signature on a document years in the making—the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark legislation. The first … Continue reading Now On Display: The Civil Rights Act of 1964
