This Day in the Law
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January 8

President George Washington Delivers 1st "State of the Union" Address (1790)


On January 8, 1790, President George Washington delivered the very first "State of the Union" address (originally referred to as the "President’s Annual Message to Congress") to Congress in New York City, New York (the then-capital of the United States).

According to the U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 3, the President shall:

from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.

If you notice, the U.S. Constitution does not mention when or even how the report by the President to Congress should be conducted. It merely says that the President should report to Congress "from time to time" on measures which the President deems "necessary and expedient." So, what’s a President to do?

Well, George Washington chose to make a speech in person to both houses of Congress on this day of January 8, 1790, and continued to do so annually. Washington’s first State of the Union Address was brief and insightful. He began by "congratulating you on the present favourable prospects of our public affairs," and the recent decision by North Carolina to join the United States. He also outlined the policies of his administration as conceived by Alexander Hamilton, and promoted a strong Continental Army which he believed was the most effective way to preserve peace. Washington’s first State of the Union address created a precedent for future presidents. John Adams, the second U.S. President, followed the example set by Washington.

However, the third U.S. President, Thomas Jefferson, refused to make a speech to Congress in person and instead just wrote letters to Congress. Jefferson found the practice of making these types of speeches to be too much like that of a king or dictator, and too time consuming. So, until 1913, presidents wrote letters like Jefferson. Then, in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson personally appeared before Congress and gave a speech. Franklin D. Roosevelt also chose to give a speech in person before Congress. Since Franklin Roosevelt, every president has personally appeared before Congress for the State of the Union address. (Harry S. Truman gave the very first televised State of the Union Address in 1947.)

Overall, George Washington’s first "State of the Union" address set the precedent for future presidents. Today, the State of the Union Address is designed to allow the President to gain the public spotlight and set the political agenda for the upcoming year. The U.S. President makes the State of the Union Address in a speech before both houses of Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, military heads, other government officials, and to the American public and the world via televised networks. In fact, the State of the Union address has become a giant political spectacle across the U.S. and many other parts of the world. Perhaps this is why Jefferson chose to write letters…


Sources:
www.senate.gov
www.presidency.ucsb.edu
United States Constitution