George Washington became the first president of the United States at the nation’s first presidential inauguration on April 30, 1789.
Washington had previously commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Electoral College elected him unanimously in the first presidential election, making him the only president to receive every electoral vote in both of his elections.
The inauguration took place at Federal Hall in New York City, then the national capital. Robert R. Livingston, New York’s chancellor, administered the oath because the new federal judiciary had not yet been organized. John Adams had already assumed the vice presidency and served as president of the Senate. Washington’s first term established precedents for the executive office, including a formal inaugural address and a limited number of presidential terms. He served from 1789 until 1797, when he retired after two terms.