United States Congress

Some of the key events about United States Congress

• 1789

  Established the federal government structure and passed the Bill of Rights
• 1798

  Passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, restricting free speech and press freedoms
• 1820

  Enacted the Missouri Compromise, perpetuating slavery in new states
• 1830

  Passed the Indian Removal Act, forcibly relocating Native American tribes
• 1850

  Enacted the Fugitive Slave Act, requiring the return of escaped slaves to their owners
• 1862

  Passed the Homestead Act, providing free land to settlers in the American West
• 1865

  Ratified the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery in the United States
• 1917

  Passed the Espionage Act, limiting free speech during wartime
• 1920

  Ratified the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote
• 1935

  Passed the Social Security Act, creating a system of old-age pensions
• 1942

  Authorized the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
• 1950

  Passed the McCarran Internal Security Act, requiring communist organizations to register with the government
• 1964

  Passed the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
• 1964

  Passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, escalating U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
• 1965

  Enacted Medicare and Medicaid, providing health coverage for elderly and low-income Americans
• 1969

  Passed legislation to fund the Apollo program, leading to the first moon landing
• 1990

  Passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities
• 1996

  Enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as between one man and one woman
• 2001

  Passed the USA PATRIOT Act, expanding government surveillance powers
• 2010

  Passed the Affordable Care Act, expanding access to health insurance for millions of Americans

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.