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31st United States Congress
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The Thirty-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1849 to March 3, 1851, during the administration of U.S. President Zachary Taylor and the first months of the administration of his successor, U.S. President Millard Fillmore.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Sixth Census of the United States in 1840. The Senate had a Democratic majority, while there was a Democratic plurality in the House.
Dates of sessions
March 4, 1849 - March 3, 1851
Previous congress: 30th Congress
Next congress: 32nd Congress
Party summary
California was newly admitted to the Union and first represented as a state in this Congress.
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
- Senate
TOTAL members: 62
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- House of Representatives
TOTAL members: 233
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Leadership
- Senate
- House of Representatives
Major events
- Main article: Events of 1849; Events of 1850; Events of 1851
Major legislation
- Main article: List of United States federal legislation in the 31st Congress
- September 9, 1850 - California was admitted as a state into the Union. It was formed from the territory ceded by Mexico.
- September 9, 1850 - New Mexico Territory was formed from territory ceded by Mexico.
- September 9, 1850 - Utah Territory was formed from territory ceded by Mexico.
- September 9, 1850 - Compromise of 1850, ch. 49, 9 Stat. 446
- September 18, 1850 - Fugitive Slave Act, ch. 60, 9 Stat. 462
- September 29, 1850 - Donation Land Claim Act, ch. 76, 9 Stat. 496
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
- See also: 31st United States Congress - political parties
- See also: 31st United States Congress - State Delegations
- See also: United States House elections, 1848
Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1850; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1852; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1854.
- See also: Category:United States Senators
- See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
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- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
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- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
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House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.
Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.
- See also: Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives
- See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- California [1]
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
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- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
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- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
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Delegates
- Minnesota Territory
- Oregon Territory
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Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
- Senate
- replacements: 5
- deaths: 1
- resignations: 3
- seats from newly admitted states: 2
- interim appointments: 4
- Total seats with changes: 8
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- House of Representatives
- replacements: 11
- deaths: 8
- resignations: 5
- contested election:1
- seats from newly admitted states: 2
- Total seats with changes: 16
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Officers
- Senate
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- House of Representatives
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Notes
- ^ Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
References
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
External links
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