State of the Union Address Deeply Rooted in American History—2016
The U.S. Constitution requires the president to report to Congress on the “State of the Union.” The tradition of the president delivering an oral report to Congress dates back to 1790, when George Washington, the first U.S. president, delivered his “Annual Message” to Congress in New York City, then the provisional capital of the United States. His successor, John Adams, followed suit.
(Pamphlet, 2 pgs.)