45th United States Congress
The 45th United States Congress , made up of the House and Senate , was the United States' legislature . Its legislative period lasted from March 4, 1877 to March 4, 1879. All members of the House of Representatives and a third of the senators ( Class II ) were elected in the 1876 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 Rutherford B. Hayes . The United States then consisted of 38 states. The state of Colorado , which joined the Union in 1876, is represented in Congress for the first time for a full legislative period. The distribution of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1870 census .
Important events
See also 1877 , 1878, and 1879
- March 4, 1877: beginning of the legislative period of the 45th Congress. At the same time, Rutherford Hayes is inducted into his new office as US President. The controversial election had only been finally decided two days earlier (see also presidential election in the United States in 1876 ). Hayes replaces Ulysses S. Grant as US President.
- 1877–1879: The Indian wars continue throughout the legislative period . In addition, the country runs amid an economic crisis that has existed since 1873.
- June 15, 1877: Henry Ossian Flipper is the first African American to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point and become a lieutenant in the United States Army .
- July 16, 1877: Great railroad strike begins in the USA. Violent unrest ensues. The president uses the military to calm the situation.
- November 21, 1877: Thomas Alva Edison announces the invention of the phonograph .
- February 18, 1878: Lincoln County Cattle War begins .
- November 1878: US Congress elections. The Democrats win a majority in the Senate. In the House of Representatives, they can secure a narrow majority, which is temporarily only possible with the help of MPs from the splinter parties.
- February 15, 1879: President Hayes signs law allowing female lawyers to stand before the Supreme Court.
The main laws
During the session of the 45th Congress, the following federal laws were passed ( see also: Legislative procedure ):
- February 28, 1878: Bland – Allison Act (A Currency Act)
- April 29, 1878: National Quarantine Act
- June 3, 1878: Timber and Stone Act
- June 18, 1878: Posse Comitatus Act
Composition according to parties
senate
- Democratic Party: 36
- Republican Party: 39
- Others: 1
- Vacant: 0
Total: 76 at the end of the legislative period
House of Representatives
- Democratic Party: 154
- Republican Party: 136
- Others: 1
- Vacant: 2
Total: 293 at the end of the legislative period
There were also eight congressional delegates who were not entitled to vote
Public officials
senate
House of Representatives
Senate members
The following senators represented their respective states in the 45th Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives
The following congressmen represented the interests of their respective states in the 45th Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives who are not entitled to vote:
- Arizona Territory : Hiram Sanford Stevens (D)
- Dakota Territory : Jefferson P. Kidder (R)
- Idaho Territory : Stephen Southmyd Fenn (D)
- Montana Territory : Martin Maginnis (D)
- New Mexico Territory : Trinidad Romero (R)
- Utah Territory : George Q. Cannon (R)
- Washington Territory : Orange Jacobs (R)
- Wyoming Territory : William Wellington Corlett (D)