The 41st 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, 1869, to March 4, 1871, during the first two years of Ulysses S. Grant's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1860 United States census. Both chambers had a Republican majority. Major events March 4, 1869: Ulysses Grant became President of the United States March 4, 1869: Carl Schurz R-Missouri became the first German American to serve in the United States Senate May 10, 1869: Golden spike marked the completion of the First transcontinental railroad in Promontory, Utah December 10, 1869: Wyoming Territory gave women the right to vote, one of the first such laws in the world February 12, 1870: Utah Territory gave women the right to vote February 25, 1870: Senator Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African American in the U.S. Congress Major legislation March 18, 1869: Public Credit Act of 1869, Sess. 1, ch. 1, April 10, 1869: Judiciary Act of 1869, Sess. 1, ch. 22, May 31, 1870: Enforcement Act of 1870, Sess. 2, ch. 114, June 22, 1870: An Act to establish the Department of Justice, Sess. 2, ch. 150, June 29, 1870: An Act to reorganize the Marine Hospital Service, Sess. 2, ch. 169, July 12, 1870: Currency Act of 1870, Sess. 2, ch. 252, July 14, 1870: Funding Act of 1870, Sess. 2, ch. 256, February 21, 1871: District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871, Sess. 3, ch. 62, , Constitutional amendments February 3, 1870: Fifteenth Amendment was ratified by the requisite number of states (then 28) to become part of the Constitution States readmitted January 26, 1870: Virginia rejoined the Union February 23, 1870: Mississippi rejoined the Union March 30, 1870: Texas rejoined the Union July 15, 1870: Georgia rejoined the Union, the last former Confederate state to be readmitted Party summary 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. During this Congress, Virginia, Mississippi, Texas, and Georgia were readmitted to representation. Senate House of Representatives Leadership Senate President: