During his or her term, the President must report to Congress about how things are going in the country. Every President from Jefferson to Taft fulfilled this duty with a written statement submitted to Congress. But in 1913, President Wilson resumed President Washington’s practice of directly addressing a joint session of Congress. This “State of the Union” speech, a tradition which continues to this day, usually occurs in January or February each year.
www.justicelearning.org, The United States Constitution, what it says, what it means, A Hip Pocket Guide (Oxford University Press)