Thomas Jefferson was the first U.S. president inaugurated in Washington, D.C., taking the oath on March 4, 1801.
Jefferson’s first inauguration took place at the unfinished United States Capitol. Chief Justice John Marshall administered the oath of office. Jefferson had defeated incumbent President John Adams in the contentious election of 1800, a contest that ultimately required the House of Representatives to resolve a tie between Jefferson and Aaron Burr.
George Washington’s inaugurations occurred in New York City and Philadelphia, the two temporary capitals used before Washington, D.C., became the national capital. John Adams became the first president to live in the new capital, but he left office before the first presidential inauguration held there.
Jefferson’s ceremony helped establish a peaceful transfer of executive power between rival political parties. His inaugural address emphasized reconciliation after the bitter election and included the famous appeal that Americans should remember they were all members of the same nation.