The very first Senate met not in Washington but in New York. On March 4, 1789, this first Senate convened in an elegant second-floor chamber of the Federal Hall in New York City. Later, the Senate moved to Philadelphia, and finally to Washington.
In the Senate, all states are represented equally, regardless of their size or population. The framers of the Constitution intended the Senate to be an independent body that would share power with the President and the House of Representatives. This arrangement has led to a series of "checks and balances" between the three branches of the federal government.
