George Washington’s First Annual Message

On January 8, 1790, President George Washington delivered his first annual message to Congress at Federal Hall in New York City. With this speech, Washington established the precedent of delivering a formal address to Congress to report on the state of the Union.

He praised the accomplishments of the First Congress and gave a brief overview of his administration’s agenda. The President emphasized the need to provide for the common defense; establish uniform systems of currency, weights, and measures; and promote education.

In celebration of the 225th anniversary of the First Congress, the first Journal of the House of Representatives was on display in the National Archives in Washington, DC, showing the final page of George Washington’s State of the Union speech. The image shown below is a page from the Records of the U.S. Senate, recording the same speech.

Learn more about this speech, and the evolution of this “State of the Union” tradition.

Past Featured Records

To the Polls: 60 Years of the Voting Rights Act
In the 1960s, voting rights were at the forefront of many Americans’ minds. Nearly 100 years had passed since the 15th Amendment outlawed voting restrictions “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” But threats of violence, literacy tests, and extra fees still prevented many Black voters from exercising their constitutional right at the polls.
250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army
The United States Army is older than the nation it protects and defends. Established more than a year before American independence was declared, the U.S. Army—America’s first national institution—has played a vital role throughout our history.
80th Anniversary of V-E Day: End of WWII in Europe
World War II, the deadliest military conflict in history, erupted in Europe on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland.
The War Beneath the Waves: Mary Sears and the Navy’s Oceanographic Unit
During World War II, navigating the Pacific Ocean's perilous tides and currents posed a constant challenge to the U.S. Navy. To update their maps and intelligence, the Navy established an Oceanographic Unit in 1943. The team of scientists was led by Mary Sears, a marine biologist commissioned as a lieutenant junior grade in the women’s division of the Naval Reserve, the WAVES.
Freedmen’s Bureau Marriage Records
After the Civil War, the federal government established a War Department agency to help Americans transition from slavery to freedom. The Freedmen’s Bureau (1865–72) issued rations, operated hospitals and helped establish schools and unite families. It worked to resolve labor disputes and negotiate labor contracts. It also presided over and documented marriages between freed couples.