George Washington became the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797.
Washington had already gained national prominence as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he presided over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, helping give the proposed government a respected national figurehead.
The Electoral College unanimously elected Washington in the first presidential election, held in 1788–1789. He took the presidential oath on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City. He was unanimously elected again in 1792 and chose to retire after two terms.
Washington’s presidency established precedents later presidents followed, including the use of a cabinet and voluntary retirement after two terms. John Adams, his vice president, succeeded him in 1797. America’s 250th-anniversary commemorations revisit Washington’s military leadership and role in the country’s founding government.