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Date | January 8, 1790 |
---|---|
Venue | Senate Chamber, Federal Hall [1] |
Location | New York City, New York [1] |
Type | State of the Union Address |
Participants | George Washington |
Next | December 1790 State of the Union Address |
The 1790 State of the Union Address was the inaugural State of the Union address, delivered by President George Washington to the United States Congress on January 8, 1790, at the Senate Chamber of Federal Hall in New York City. [2]
In this first address, Washington set the example for what would be expected of presidents after him. Even at the time, issues such as his choice of clothing, who stood beside him, and the delivery of his message were discussed. It remains the shortest State of the Union Address, containing only 1,089 words. [3]
In his speech, Washington explained some of the challenges that America would face, and he addressed what he expected for the future.
Washington began his address by congratulating Congress for the accession of North Carolina and highlighting the country's progress: "Plenty, with which we are blessed, are circumstances auspicious in an eminent degree to our national prosperity." [4] While Washington celebrated with the people, he also cautioned them about the work required to secure America's future. He emphasized, "To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace," [4] and called upon his country to create a sufficient army and gather the necessary resources for its maintenance. In his speech, Washington addressed the formation of the army, as well as its funding, supplies, and structure, ensuring that the matter was promptly addressed.
Washington believed that foreign policy should be handled by the President, and he made a promise to fulfill his "duty in that respect in the manner which circumstances may render most public good." [5] Additionally, he addressed the necessity of establishing a naturalization process for immigrants that would showcase their value to the new country. Moreover, Washington urged natural-born citizens to actively participate in the growth and progress of their nation.
Washington then transitioned from addressing official needs to focusing on citizens' everyday lives. The speech highlighted the significance of agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, science, and literature. [5] He emphasized the importance of they knowledge, enabling people to "know and to value their own rights; to discern and provide against invasions of them, etc.". [5] Lastly, he reminded the Senate and the House of Representatives of their duty to the country and stressed the necessity for cooperation to uphold a functioning republic. [2]
In response to the portion of Washington's speech calling for "the promotion of 'science and literature,'" Congress began drafting the Patent Act of 1790 and the Copyright Act of 1790. [6] However, Washington's further suggestion that the United States establish a national university was questioned in the House of Representatives. Representative Michael Jenifer Stone was concerned that this would be unconstitutional because there was no authorization for Congress to find such a business, and a national university was never established. [7]
George Washington was a Founding Father of the United States, military officer, and farmer who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Second Continental Congress as commander of the Continental Army in 1775, Washington led Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War and then served as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the current Constitution of the United States. Washington has thus become commonly known as the "Father of his Country".
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The Copyright Act of 1790 was the first federal copyright act to be instituted in the United States, though most of the states had passed various legislation securing copyrights in the years immediately following the Revolutionary War. The stated object of the act was the "encouragement of learning," and it achieved this by securing authors the "sole right and liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing and vending" the copies of their "maps, charts, and books" for a term of 14 years, with the right to renew for one additional 14-year term should the copyright holder still be alive.
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A joint session of the United States Congress is a gathering of members of the two chambers of the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Joint sessions can be held on any special occasion, but are required to be held when the president delivers a State of the Union address, when they gather to count and certify the votes of the Electoral College as the presidential election, or when they convene on the occasion of a presidential inauguration. A joint meeting is a ceremonial or formal occasion and does not perform any legislative function, and no resolution is proposed nor vote taken.
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The presidency of George Washington began on April 30, 1789, when Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States, and ended on March 4, 1797. Washington took office after the 1788–1789 presidential election, the nation's first quadrennial presidential election, in which he was elected unanimously by the Electoral College. Washington was re-elected unanimously in the 1792 presidential election and chose to retire after two terms. He was succeeded by his vice president, John Adams of the Federalist Party.
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The President's House in Philadelphia was the third U.S. Presidential Mansion. George Washington occupied it from November 27, 1790, to March 10, 1797, and John Adams occupied it from March 21, 1797, to May 30, 1800.
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The second inauguration of Andrew Jackson as president of the United States took place in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Monday, March 4, 1833. The inauguration marked the commencement of the second four-year term of Andrew Jackson as president and the only four-year term of Martin Van Buren as vice president.
The state of union is an address, in the United States, given by the president to a joint session of Congress, the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate. The United States constitution requires the president "from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union." Today the state of the union address is given as a speech, though this is not a requirement of the constitution. George Washington chose to address the congress in a speech annually; on October 25, 1791 he gave his third speech.
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