On what date did George Washington deliver America’s first State of the Union address?

George Washington delivered America’s first State of the Union address on January 8, 1790.

Washington spoke to a joint session of Congress in New York City, then the national capital. The address reviewed the condition of the new republic and urged Congress to strengthen national defense, support education, promote manufacturing, and address the finances inherited from the Revolutionary War.

The Constitution requires the president to give Congress information about the state of the Union from time to time, but it does not require an annual speech or specify a particular format. Washington and John Adams delivered their reports in person, while Thomas Jefferson sent written messages. Presidents resumed regular in-person annual speeches much later.

The modern phrase “State of the Union” became common during the twentieth century. Washington’s 1790 address is nonetheless recognized as the first example of the constitutional reporting tradition, even though it was not yet known by today’s formal title.