111th Congress, 2nd Session
The first Quorum of the House of Representatives
April 01, 1789
On this date, Congress achieved its first quorum. Poor traveling conditions and a lack of urgency to convene the new government outlined in the Constitution caused a delay in the scheduled proceedings at Federal Hall in New York City. Members slowly trickled in to the city, leaving those who made the trip to wait idly for the required number of Members necessary for a quorum (30 Representatives and 12 Senators). “This is a very mortifying situation,” Representative Fisher Ames of Massachusetts lamented. “We lose credit, spirit, every thing. The public will forget the government before it is born.” Nearly a month after the government opened on March 4, 1789, the House reached a quorum with the arrival of Thomas Scott of Pennsylvania. “I am rather less awed and terrified at the sight of the members than I expected to be,” Ames observed of the assembled body. With few guidelines in place, the House set out to “chuse their Speaker and other Officers.” Members elected Frederick A.C. Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania as the presiding officer and John Beckley as the first Clerk of the House. In the subsequent days, the House continued to organize itself by electing a Doorkeeper, Sergeant at Arms, and Chaplain.
Related Highlight Subjects
Cite this Highlight
Office of History and Preservation, Office of the Clerk, http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/highlights.html?action=view&intID=20, (December 15, 2010).For Additional Information
Office of History and Preservation(202) 226-1300
history@mail.house.gov
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Fisher Ames of Massachusetts served four terms in the House of Representatives before returning to his law practice in Dedham, Massachusetts.
Collection of U.S. House of Representatives
Teaching Tip
Ten Questions
Have students select a highlight date which focuses on a person connected to the House (Speaker, Member, House Officer, Page, etc.). Compile 10 questions to ask this person concerning his/her career in the House. In pairs, have one student play the part of the interviewer, while the other is the interviewee. Conduct research to devise answers that would likely be made by the person being interviewed.
