George Washington became the first president of the United States in 1789.
The Electoral College unanimously elected Washington in the first presidential election held under the Constitution. He took the oath of office on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City. Robert Livingston, the chancellor of New York, administered the oath before a large public crowd.
Washington had already served as commander in chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. His reputation for military leadership and his decision to surrender power after the war made him a widely trusted choice for the new presidency.
Washington served two four-year terms, from 1789 until 1797, and then retired voluntarily. His example established the tradition that presidents could leave office peacefully after two terms, although the formal two-term constitutional limit was not adopted until the Twenty-second Amendment in 1951. His inauguration connects the Revolutionary generation to the constitutional government celebrated during America250.