March 4th, 1789 A forgotten huge day in American history

[Valin]

National Constitution Center

 

In the 21st century, the American political world revolves around a handful of key dates. But prior to 1933, March 4 was the biggest day on the calendar next to Election Day.

 

The significance of March 4 predates the Constitution. The Confederation Congress, which operated under the Articles of Confederation (our first Constitution) picked March 4, 1789, as the day it handed off power to the new constitutional government.

 

So in some ways, March 4 was the Constitution’s first day in business. The first Congress convened in New York City. It was about one month before George Washington was elected at the first president under the new Constitution. The new Congress quickly took care of an important task, when James Madison introduced the first draft Bill of Rights for consideration by its members.

 

However, neither the House or Senate had a quorum to vote. It would take another month for enough members to arrive in New York to start the 1st Congress. By September 1789, Congress had agreed on a version of the Bill of Rights to present to the states for ratification. That happened two years later.

 

Congress moved its first day of business after that to December 1, in accordance with Article I, Section 4, of the Constitution, which says that “the Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.”

 

(Snip)