George Washington was inaugurated as the first U.S. president on April 30, 1789, during the founding era commemorated by America250.
The ceremony took place at Federal Hall in New York City, then the temporary capital of the United States. Washington took the oath of office from Chancellor Robert Livingston on the building’s balcony and delivered an inaugural address to Congress.
The date is often confused with March 4, which became the traditional inauguration date for later presidents under the original constitutional timetable. Washington’s inauguration was delayed because Congress had difficulty assembling a quorum and because travel across the new country took considerable time.
Washington’s first inauguration marked the practical launch of the executive branch created by the Constitution. It followed the election of 1788–1789, in which Washington was the only president chosen unanimously by the Electoral College.