Who became the first president of the United States after the Constitution created the office?

George Washington became the first president of the United States under the Constitution.

The Electoral College unanimously selected Washington in both the 1789 and 1792 elections. He took the presidential oath at Federal Hall in New York City on April 30, 1789, with John Adams serving as vice president. Washington remains the only president chosen unanimously by the Electoral College.

Before becoming president, Washington had commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. His military reputation and leadership at the Constitutional Convention helped persuade competing political factions that he could serve as a trusted national executive.

Washington served two four-year terms and declined to seek a third. His voluntary departure established an influential tradition, although the Constitution did not impose a two-term limit until the Twenty-Second Amendment was ratified in 1951. Washington’s presidency also helped define the authority and ceremonial practices of the new office.