8th United States Congress
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The Eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1803 to March 3, 1805, during the last two years of the first administration of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Second Census of the United States in 1800. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.
[edit] Dates of sessions
- First session: October 17, 1803 - March 27, 1804
- Second session: November 5, 1804 - March 3, 1805 — a lame duck session
Previous congress: 7th Congress
Next congress: 9th Congress
[edit] Major events
- Main article: Events of 1803; Events of 1804; Events of 1805
- April 30, 1803 - Louisiana Purchase was made by the United States from France
- February 16, 1804 - First Barbary War: Stephen Decatur led a raid to burn the pirate-held frigate Philadelphia
- May 14, 1804 - The Lewis and Clark Expedition departed from Camp Dubois to begin their historic journey by traveling up the Missouri River
- June 15, 1804 - The 12th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by the states, requiring electors to cast two distinct votes: one for President and another for Vice President.
- July 11, 1804 - Duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr resulted in the death of Alexander Hamilton
- Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815)
[edit] Major legislation
- December 9, 1803 - The 12th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed by the U.S. Congress.
- March 26, 1804 - Orleans was organized as a territory. It was formerly a portion of the District of Louisiana
[edit] Party summary
Ohio was newly admitted to the union and first represented as a state in this Congress.
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
TOTAL members: 34 |
TOTAL members: 142 |
[edit] Leadership
- Senate
- Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate):
- President pro tempore of the Senate:
- John Brown, Democratic-Republican of Kentucky, first elected October 17, 1803
- Jesse Franklin, Democratic-Republican of North Carolina, elected March 10, 1804
- Joseph Anderson, Democratic-Republican of Tennessee, first elected January 15, 1805
- House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House
- Nathaniel Macon, Democratic-Republican of North Carolina, elected October 17, 1803
[edit] Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
- See also: 8th United States Congress - Political Parties
- See also: 8th United States Congress - State Delegations
- See also: United States House election, 1802
[edit] Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1808; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1804; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1806.
- See also: U.S. Senators
- See also: U.S. Congressional Delegations by state
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[edit] House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.
Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.
- See also: U.S. Representatives
- See also: U.S. Congressional Delegations by state
[edit] Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
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[edit] Officers
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[edit] Notes
- ^ all representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket
- ^ all representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket
- ^ the 5th district was a plural district with two representatives
- ^ all representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket
- ^ all representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket
- ^ there were four plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd had three representatives each, the 4th had two representatives
- ^ all representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket
- ^ elected statewide at-large on a general ticket
[edit] References
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
[edit] External links
- Statutes at Large, 1789-1875 [1]
- Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress [2]
- House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress [3]
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress [4]
- U.S. House of Representatives: Congressional History [5]
- U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists [6]
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United States Congress Senate • Senators • Senate Leaders • Senate Committees • Senate Elections House • Representatives • House Leaders • House Committees • House Elections • House Districts |
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