The first midterm elections were held in the United States in 1790 and 1791.

They occurred in the middle of President George Washington's first term, and determined the members of the 2nd United States Congress.

Formal political parties did not exist, but Congress was broadly divided between a faction supporting the policies of the Washington administration and a faction opposed to those policies.

Vermont and Kentucky joined the union during the 2nd Congress.

[3] In the Senate, the anti-administration faction picked up a moderate number of seats, but the pro-administration faction narrowly retained control of the chamber.