George Washington was inaugurated as the first U.S. president on April 30, 1789, a founding milestone linked to America250.
The ceremony took place at Federal Hall in New York City, then the temporary national capital. Washington took the oath of office from Chancellor Robert Livingston and delivered his inaugural address to Congress. The event established a public model for transferring presidential authority under the new Constitution.
Washington’s inauguration is often confused with the later traditional inauguration date of March 4. Congress originally set March 4 as the start of presidential terms, but delays in counting electoral votes postponed Washington’s ceremony. The 20th Amendment eventually moved the regular inauguration date to January 20, beginning in 1933.