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We The People, is our new educational series highlighting essential facts every American should know. It's designed to be educational, nonpartisan and patriotic.  

March 4, 1789: The U.S. government was scheduled to “turn on”, but it didn’t start with a bang.

We celebrate Independence Day in July, because July 4, 1776, is when the Declaration of Independence was adopted. But the new government created by the Constitution was scheduled to begin operating later, when the first federal Congress was set to meet on March 4, 1789.

The day the U.S. government “turned on”
March 4 mattered because it was the official start date chosen for the First Congress to convene in the new system, replacing the old national framework under the Articles of Confederation.

What actually happened that day
Congress was supposed to meet at Federal Hall, but not enough members were present to reach a quorum, so they couldn’t conduct official business. Travel was slow, roads were rough and representatives arrived in dribs and drabs. The government’s “engine” was there, but it couldn’t fully run yet.
• The House finally reached a quorum on April 1, 1789.
• The Senate reached a quorum on April 6, 1789.

Where it happened
The new Congress met in New York City at Federal Hall (America’s temporary capital at the time).

What it set in motion
Once Congress could officially operate, it could finally:
• Organize itself and elect leadership
• Count the Electoral College votes (April 6)
• And move toward the inauguration of George Washington (April 30)

One simple takeaway
March 4, 1789, is when the Constitution’s new federal government was supposed to begin, but the first morning had empty seats, and it took weeks for enough members to arrive to truly get it moving.

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