Presidency of George Washington
The presidency of George Washington began on April 30, 1789, when Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States, and ended on March 4, 1797. Washington took office after the 1788–1789 presidential election, the nation's first quadrennial presidential election, in which he was elected unanimously by the Electoral College. Washington was re-elected unanimously in the 1792 presidential election and chose to retire after two terms. He was succeeded by his vice president, John Adams of the Federalist Party.
George Washington depicted in a 1796 portrait by Gilbert Stuart
Washington's first inauguration, April 30, 1789, Federal Hall, New York City
Washington arriving at Congress Hall in Philadelphia to take the presidential oath of office for the second time, March 4, 1793
BEP engraved portrait of Washington as President
First inauguration of George Washington
The first inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the United States was held on Thursday, April 30, 1789, on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City, New York. The inauguration was held nearly two months after the beginning of the first four-year term of George Washington as president. Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the presidential oath of office. With this inauguration, the executive branch of the United States government officially began operations under the new frame of government established by the 1787 Constitution. The inauguration of John Adams as vice president was on April 21, 1789, when he assumed his duties as presiding officer of the United States Senate; this also remains the only scheduled inauguration to take place on a day that was neither January nor March.
First inauguration of George Washington
Federal Hall, New York City, site of George Washington's first inauguration, April 30, 1789.
George Washington had to borrow money to travel to his first inauguration. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)