Subjects – Artifacts in the House Collection
The opening of the First Congress in New York City
March 04, 1789
The First Congress was scheduled to meet in New York City on this date, though it failed to achieve the quorum necessary to conduct business.
Representative James Madison of Virginia
May 04, 1789
On this date, Representative James Madison of Virginia announced his intention to introduce a resolution to create a bill of rights.
The Oath of Office bill
May 18, 1789
The Oath of Office Bill, the first legislative act of Congress, passed the House of Representatives on this date.
The Committee on Ways and Means
July 24, 1789
The Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest standing committee in the United States House of Representatives.
President George Washington delivered his first regular Annual Message to a Joint Session of Congress
January 08, 1790
On this date, George Washington delivered his first regular Annual Message to a Joint Session of Congress.
The 1791 Excise Whiskey Tax
January 27, 1791
After a spirited debate, the House passed, by a 35 to 21 majority, the 1791 Excise Whiskey Tax
Speaker of the House Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. of Connecticut
October 24, 1791
On this date, the House chose Connecticut Representative Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., as Speaker of the House.
Representative Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania
April 04, 1792
Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania, the fiery abolitionist, civil rights advocate, and leader of the Civil War-era Radical Republicans in the House, was born on the Vermont frontier in Danville.
Artist Gilbert Stuart’s portraits of George Washington
April 12, 1796
On this date, President George Washington posed for artist Gilbert Stuart for the famous Lansdowne portrait, the basis for two of the first chief executive’s portraits in the U.S. Capitol.
Speaker of the House John Bell of Tennessee
February 18, 1797
On this date, John Bell, the 23rd Speaker of the House was born near Nashville, Tennessee.
The first House Chamber funeral
December 18, 1820
On this date, the first known funeral in the House Chamber occurred.
Marquis de Lafayette’s historic address to the House
December 10, 1824
On this date, the Marquis de Lafayette, the French general and Revolutionary War hero, became the first foreign dignitary to address the House of Representatives in its chamber.
The House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams as President
February 09, 1825
The House of Representatives elected Secretary of State John Quincy Adams as President on this date.
Representative Joseph Rainey of South Carolina, the first African American to serve in the House
June 21, 1832
The first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, Joseph Rainey, was born into slavery on this date in Georgetown, South Carolina.
Speaker of the House John Carlisle of Kentucky
September 05, 1834
Born on this date in Campbell (now Kenton) County, Kentucky, Speaker of the House John Carlisle devoted his career to public service.
Controversy about the final adjournment of the 23rd Congress
March 03, 1835 – March 04, 1835
On the legislative day spanning these dates, the 23rd Congress (1833–1835) adjourned amid controversy over whether it had the authority to conduct business.
Speaker of the House Joseph Gurney Cannon of Illinois
May 07, 1836
Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon of Illinois was born in Guilford, North Carolina. “Uncle Joe” Cannon’s career in Congress spanned almost five decades.
The House of Representatives instituted the “gag rule”
May 18, 1836
On this date, during the 24th Congress (1835–1837), the House of Representatives instituted the “gag rule.”
The debate over the rule to ban hats on the House Floor
September 14, 1837
On this date, the House adopted a rule stipulating that no Member could wear a hat on the floor during a session of the House.
The funeral of Congressman Joab Lawler of Alabama
May 09, 1838
On this date in the 25th Congress (1837–1839), a funeral in the old House Chamber (present day Statuary Hall) was held for Representative Joab Lawler of Alabama.
A motion to censure Representative John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts
February 07, 1842
On this date, the House voted 106 to 93 to table a motion censuring Representative John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts for antislavery agitation.
The first news of House business submitted by telegraph
May 25, 1844
On this date during the 28th Congress (1843–1845), the first news of House business was submitted by telegraph.
The work of the 29th Congress
December 01, 1845
On this date, the 29th Congress (1845–1847) convened for a momentous two years dominated by war in the southwest
Speaker of the House James Beauchamp “Champ” Clark of Missouri
March 07, 1850
James Beauchamp “Champ” Clark of Missouri, the 39th Speaker of the House (1911–1919), was born in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
The Opening of the 34th Congress
December 03, 1855
On this date, Representatives badly divided over the slavery issue convened in the Old House Chamber (present-day Statuary Hall) to commence the 34th Congress (1855–1857).
The longest and most contentious Speaker election in its history
February 02, 1856
At the conclusion of the longest and most contentious Speaker election in its history, the House elected Representative Nathaniel Banks of Massachusetts as its presiding officer for the 34th Congress (1855–1857).
Speaker of the House Langdon Cheves of South Carolina
June 26, 1857
The eighth Speaker of the House, Langdon Cheves, died on this date.
The opening of the current House Chamber
December 16, 1857
On this date, the House of Representatives met in its current chamber for the first time at the opening of the 35th Congress (1857–1859) despite unfinished work on the heating apparatus and the central stairwell leading to the room.
Speaker of the House Henry Rainey of Illinois
August 20, 1860
On this date, Speaker of the House Henry Rainey of Illinois was born in Carrollton, Illinois.
The secession of South Carolina
December 24, 1860
On this date, the House received a letter announcing South Carolina’s secession from the Union.
The near duel between Representatives Galusha Grow of Pennsylvania and Lawrence Branch of North Carolina
December 29, 1860
In the midst of a contentious Speaker contest and a disorganized House, Representative Galusha Grow of Pennsylvania verbally skewered Representative Lawrence Branch of North Carolina during House Floor debate.
The funeral of Representative Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania
August 13, 1868
On this date, Pennsylvania Representative Thaddeus Stevens was honored with a state funeral in the Capitol Rotunda.
The shortest period of service for a Speaker on record
March 03, 1869
On the final day of the 40th Congress, Theodore Pomeroy of New York became Speaker of the House for one day—the shortest period of service for a Speaker on record.
The creation of the Committee on Military Affairs portraits of forts
June 16, 1870
Architect of the Capitol Edward Clark formally asked artist Seth Eastman to decorate the House Committee on Military Affairs hearing room.
Albert Bierstadt’s paintings The Discovery of the Hudson and A Scene in the Rocky Mountains
December 06, 1874
On this date, Albert Bierstadt made a bold move, mounting an unauthorized exhibition of his paintings, The Discovery of the Hudson and A Scene in the Rocky Mountains, in the House Chamber.
Speaker of the House Samuel Randall of Pennsylvania
October 15, 1877
On this date, Representative Samuel Randall of Pennsylvania was re-elected Speaker of the House by a 17-vote margin for the 45th Congress (1877–1879) over Representative James Garfield of Ohio.
Longtime congressional employee Ben Jones
August 05, 1879
Benjamin Jones—the longtime manager of the House Republican Cloakroom—was born in East St. Louis, Illinois.
The Opening of the 2nd Session of the 46th Congress
December 01, 1879
On this date, the 2nd Session of the 46th Congress (1879–1881) convened.
Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana
June 11, 1880
Jeannette Rankin, the first woman to serve in the U.S. Congress, was born on this date near Missoula, Montana.
Representative Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts
March 19, 1881
Representative Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts, a renowned advocate for veterans and the longest-serving woman in congressional history, was born in Saco, Maine.
Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn of Texas
January 06, 1882
Sam Rayburn of Texas, the longest serving Speaker in House history, was born in Kingston, Tennessee
A 19th-century Halloween prank in the Capitol
October 31, 1885
On this date, a prank played on a new Capitol Police Officer led to the firing of gun shots in Statuary Hall.
Bay State Day in the House of Representatives
January 19, 1888
The State of Massachusetts presented, with much fanfare, portraits of four former Speakers of the House, transforming the House Chamber into a veritable picture gallery.
Legislative signal bells in the House of Representatives
July 24, 1888
The House of Representatives approved a resolution to add legislative signal bells to the House wing of the Capitol to keep Members informed of House Floor proceedings.
The portrait of Speaker of the House Jonathan Trumbull of Connecticut
December 21, 1888
Connecticut Representative Jonathan Trumbull’s Speaker portrait was unveiled at the Capitol.
Speaker Thomas Brackett Reed of Maine proceeded against the “disappearing quorum”
January 29, 1890
Speaker Thomas Brackett Reed of Maine proceeded against the “disappearing quorum” during a roll-call vote by ruling as present those Members gathered on the floor but not voting.
The resignation of House Postmaster James L. Wheat
October 01, 1890
On this date, the final day of the first session of the 51st Congress (1889–1891), House Postmaster James L. Wheat of Wisconsin resigned after an investigation determined that he had received kickbacks on a lucrative mail contract and listed a Government Printing Office employee on the Postmaster’s payroll whose salary instead went largely to Wheat’s son.
Speaker of the House Charles Crisp of Georgia
August 07, 1893
On this date, Charles Crisp of Georgia was elected Speaker of the House for a second term.
Centennial celebrations of the laying of the Capitol cornerstone in 1793
September 18, 1893
On this date, the federal government celebrated the centennial of the laying of the Capitol cornerstone by President George Washington in 1793.
The life of former Speaker Charles Crisp of Georgia
October 23, 1896
On this date, former Speaker Charles Crisp of Georgia died at his home in Atlanta.
The House recognition of Cuban independence from Spain
April 13, 1898
House Resolution 233, recognizing Cuban independence from Spain, passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 325 to 19.
The annexation of Hawaii
June 15, 1898
By an overwhelming vote of 209 to 91, the House approved Senate Joint Resolution 55 providing for the annexation of Hawaii as an American territory.
Speaker of the House Thomas Brackett Reed of Maine
September 04, 1899
After serving 11 terms in the House, Speaker Thomas Brackett Reed of Maine resigned on this date.
Speaker of the House Theodore Pomeroy of New York
March 23, 1905
Speaker Theodore Pomeroy of New York, who wielded the gavel for a single day in 1869, died on this date.
The Speaker’s broken gavels
June 23, 1906
On this date, Speaker of the House Joseph Cannon of Illinois broke a gavel while putting the House into the Committee of the Whole for further consideration of a bill.
Speaker of the House Galusha Aaron Grow of Pennsylvania
March 31, 1907
Galusha Aaron Grow of Pennsylvania, Speaker of the House during the Civil War, died on this date.