The United States Congress convened for the first time at the U.S. Capitol in 1800.

During Colonial days and prior to the American Revolution, Philadelphia was the de facto capital of the 13 original colonies. Both the First and the Second Continental Congress meetings convened in Philadelphia, and it was there that our founding documents were drafted and signed. It was the largest city (a distinction it actually held until 1830), and it was the financial center of the fledgling nation. However, it was decided that a location nearer to the geographic center of the new nation would be more appropriate, so in 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, naming a site along the Potomac River, today's Washington, D.C., as the new location for the nation’s capital (New York had been the capital for the few years since the war). In a Masonic ceremony in 1793, George Washington laid the cornerstone for the new Capitol building, the structure intended for the legislative branch of the government. Work proceeded thenceforward, and by 1796, the Commissioners overseeing the construction realized that unless they concentrated on one section of the project, there would be no place for Congress to convene as scheduled. So, they focused their efforts on the North Wing, and they were able to complete that section in time for Congress to convene there for the first time on this date in 1800. Work continued for years, temporarily set back by the fact that the British set the Capitol on fire during the War of 1812. In 1855, Congress voted to replace the original central dome, and construction began on the impressive dome that has become the most recognizable feature of the Capitol building today.

EDSITEment
A Landmark Lesson: The United States Capitol Building (3-5), a set of 3 lesson plans from EDSITEment, explores what makes the U.S. Capitol "symbolically important." Presented with a variety of archival documents, students can answer that question for themselves. Working in small groups, the students will uncover and share the Capitol's story. The primary sources are presented to the students as mysteries, with a challenge to tie together the information in the documents or images through research.

Before the United States Constitution was adopted, establishing things like the legislature we have today, the fledgling nation operated under the somewhat problematic Articles of Confederation. In Lost Hero: The "To Do List" of the Continental Congress (6-8), students learn how the role of "President" was defined in the Articles of Confederation.

Congressional Committees and the Legislative Process (9-12) introduces students to the pivotal role that Congressional committees play in the legislative process, focusing on how their own Congressional representatives influence legislation through their committee appointments.

Students can learn how the legislative branch, or Congress, interacts with the other two branches of government in Balancing Three Branches at Once: Our System of Checks and Balances (3-5).