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Did You Know? - When the United States Government Actually Began · Voices Of Life

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  Welcome to the Did You Know series of the Voices
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  of Life podcast, a ministry of the Church for
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  Life. A place where faith speaks, where history
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  breathes, and where hope finds its voice again.
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  Each episode is crafted to inspire, to strengthen,
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  and to guide you on your walk with God. And now,
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  to lead us through today's journey, here is your
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  host. Welcome to the Voices of Life podcast.
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  I'm Pastor David. Today we take a look back at
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  the federal government's first day on the job
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  and how operations started off. Did you know
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  the United States government did not begin in
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  1776? Not in 1781 with the Articles of Confederation.
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  Not even 1787 when the Constitution was signed.
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  The United States government as we know it today
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  actually began on March 4, 1789, the day the
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  Constitution went into full operation. The Constitution
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  required nine states to ratify it before it could
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  take effect. The ninth state was New Hampshire
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  on June 21, 1788, but the Constitution did not
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  specify when the new government should begin.
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  So the outgoing Confederation Congress made the
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  decision. On September 13, 1788, they passed
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  a resolution declaring that the new federal government
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  would begin on the first Wednesday in March of
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  the following year, which fell on March 4, 1789.
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  This was, in effect, Congress writing its own
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  dissolution order. March 4, 1789 was supposed
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  to be a historic opening, but almost nobody showed
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  up. Only 8 of the 22 senators, 13 of the 59 senators,
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  Members of the House of Representatives made
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  it to New York City in time for the first session.
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  Neither chamber had a quorum. They could not
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  conduct business. They could not elect officers.
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  They could not even swear in the members. Travel
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  was slow. Roads were muddy. Winter storms blocked
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  routes. The United States government began with
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  empty chairs. The House finally reached a quorum
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  on April 1, 1789. The Senate reached a quorum
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  on April 6, 1789. On that same day, both chambers
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  met in joint session to count electoral votes
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  and certify that George Washington had been unanimously
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  elected President of the United States. Washington
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  was inaugurated on April 30, 1789, at Federal
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  Hall in New York City. Only then did the government
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  begin functioning as intended. In other words,
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  March 4, 1789, government legally begins. April
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  1 through 6, 1789, Congress becomes functional.
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  April 30, 1789, executive branch begins. And
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  between 1790 and 1791, the Judiciary and Bill
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  of Rights were completed. It took months for
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  the government to operate and nearly two years
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  to become fully functional. When the new government
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  began, two states were still outside the system.
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  North Carolina did not ratify the Constitution
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  until November 21, 1789. Rhode Island held out
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  even longer, finally ratifying it on May 29,
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  1790. For more than a year, the United States
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  government operated without all 13 original states.
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  In Owings v. Speed, 1820, the Supreme Court ruled,
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  that the Constitution did not commence its operations
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  until the first Wednesday in March 1789. This
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  remains the definitive legal confirmation of
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  when the United States government actually began.
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  Beginnings are rarely smooth. Even nations start
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  with uncertainty, delay, and struggle. But God
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  is present in the slow unfolding of every new
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  chapter. The United States did not begin in a
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  moment. It began in a process, a process guided
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  by providence. Let us pray. Heavenly Father,
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  thank you for guiding the founders through uncertainty
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  and the slow beginnings. Thank you for the wisdom
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  that shaped our Constitution. Thank you for reminding
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  us. And thank you for reminding us that your
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  timing is always perfect, even when ours is not.
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  In Jesus' name, amen. Before we go, I wanted
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  to share a word about why we created the Did
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  You Know series. These moments are short, simple,
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  and easy to take in. But each one highlights
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  the small, often forgotten details that had to
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  unfold for our nation to become what it is today.
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  Little things, big impact. Our hope is that this
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  brief Episodes help every citizen understand
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  the steps, the struggles, and the providence
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  that shaped America's story. Thank you for learning
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  with us, for growing with us, and for walking
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  this journey with us. Until we gather again,
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  may God guide your steps, steady your spirit,
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  and surround your life with his unfailing presence.
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  This is Pastor David, and you're listening to
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  the Voices of Life podcast. Grace and peace be
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  with you. Thank you for joining us today. May
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  the stories we share strengthen your faith, steady
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  your heart, and remind you that God is present
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  in every chapter of your journey. If this episode
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  encouraged you, share it with someone who needs
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  hope. And until we meet again, walk in truth,
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  stand in courage. And keep listening for the
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  voice that leads you forward. This has been Voices
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  of Life. Peace be with you.