44th United States Congress
The 44th United States Congress , made up of the House and Senate , was the United States' legislature . Its legislative term lasted from March 4, 1875 to March 4, 1877. All members of the House of Representatives and a third of the senators ( Class I ) were elected in the 1874 congressional elections. There were different majorities in the two chambers. In the Senate, the Republican Party had a majority, while the Democrats controlled the House of Representatives. The Congress met in the American capital Washington, DC President was the Republican Ulysses S. Grant . The United States then consisted of 38 states, with the 38th state, Colorado, joining the union on August 1, 1876. The distribution of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1870 census .
Important events
- March 4, 1875: Beginning of the legislative period of the 44th Congress
- The Indian wars continue throughout the legislative period . The country also continues to suffer from an economic crisis that has persisted since 1873. In addition, the reconstruction time continues.
- November 22, 1875: Vice President Henry Wilson dies of complications from a stroke. This also makes the office of the official Senate President vacant.
- March 7, 1876: Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent on the telephone he invented.
- June 25, 1876: At the Battle of Little Bighorn , the 7th US Cavalry Regiment under George Armstrong Custer was destroyed by Indians of the Lakota Sioux, Arapaho and Cheyenne under their leaders Sitting Bull , Crazy Horse and Gall on the Little Bighorn River in what is now Montana beaten. The army has 268 dead, including Custer, and 55 wounded and missing.
- July 4, 1876: The United States celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
- August 1, 1876: Colorado becomes the 38th state in the USA.
- November 7, 1876: US presidential and congressional elections. For the narrow presidential election, see United States Presidential Election 1876 . It was not until March 2, 1877 that a compromise was found that brought Rutherford B. Hayes to the presidency. At the same time, the reconstruction time ends. There are different majorities in the two chambers in the congressional elections. In the Senate, the Republican Party has a majority and in the House of Representatives the Democratic Party has the largest number of MPs.
The main laws
During the session of the 44th Congress, the following federal laws were passed ( see also: Legislative procedure ):
- March 3, 1877: Desert Land Act
Composition according to parties
senate
- Democratic Party: 28
- Republican Party: 45
- Others: 1
- Vacant: 0
Total: 74 Still without Colorado's senators
House of Representatives
- Democratic Party: 182
- Republican Party: 100
- Others: 8
- Vacant: 2
Total: 292
There were also nine congressional delegates who were not entitled to vote
Public officials
senate
- President of the Senate : Henry Wilson (R) until November 22, 1875. The office is then vacant.
- President pro tempore : Thomas W. Ferry (R)
House of Representatives
- House Speaker : Michael C. Kerr (D) until August 19, 1876, then Samuel J. Randall (D)
Senate members
The following senators represented their respective states in the 44th Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives
The following congressmen represented the interests of their respective states in the 44th Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives who are not entitled to vote:
- Arizona Territory : Hiram Sanford Stevens (D)
- Colorado Territory : Thomas Patterson (D) until Aug 1, 1876
- Dakota Territory : Jefferson P. Kidder (R)
-
Idaho Territory : Thomas Warren Bennett (Independent) until June 23, 1876
- Stephen Southmyd Fenn (D) from June 23, 1876
- Montana Territory : Martin Maginnis (D)
- New Mexico Territory : Stephen Benton Elkins (R)
- Utah Territory : George Q. Cannon (R)
- Washington Territory : Orange Jacobs (R)
- Wyoming Territory : William Randolph Steele (D)
Web links
- bioguide.congress.gov (by entering 44 under Year OR Congress: you get a list of the members of the 44th Congress with a link to the official biographies; English)