An Act to Regulate the Time and Manner of Administering Certain Oaths
6/1/1789
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On June 1, 1789, the First Congress passed this law—the nation’s first. It required all members of Federal, state, and local governments to “solemnly swear or affirm to support the Constitution of the United States” before assuming their duties. This legal requirement has lasted more than 200 years. Today, no Government employee may start work without taking an oath.
Text adapted from “The First Act of Congress” in the November/December 2004 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education.
Text adapted from “The First Act of Congress” in the November/December 2004 National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) publication Social Education.
This primary source comes from the General Records of the United States Government.
National Archives Identifier: 596341
Full Citation: An Act to Regulate the Time and Manner of Administering Certain Oaths; 6/1/1789; Enrolled Acts and Resolutions of Congress, 1789 - 2011; General Records of the United States Government, Record Group 11; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/an-act-to-regulate-the-time-and-manner-of-administering-certain-oaths, April 30, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
