September 24, 1789
When discussing the birth of our nation, we are familiar with names like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams...names our basic history books referenced over and over again. One name that mistakenly escapes recognition among many Americans is Connecticut-born Oliver Ellsworth. Senator Ellsworth is the reason our government is known officially as the "United States Government" as opposed to the "National Government of the United States." He aided Connecticut throughout the Revolutionary War, was a member of the Committee of Appeals (the pre-cursor to the Supreme Court), helped prepare the first draft of the Constitution, was integral in the passage of the Connecticut Plan, and basically wrote the Judiciary Act, which was signed into law by President Washington on September 24, 1789.