Who became the first president of the United States?

George Washington became the first president of the United States.

The Electoral College unanimously elected Washington in 1789, after the Constitution created the office of president. He took the oath of office on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City, then the temporary national capital. John Adams became the first vice president.

Washington had already served as commander in chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. His military reputation and national standing helped persuade Americans to accept the new federal office.

He served two four-year terms, from 1789 to 1797, and voluntarily retired afterward. His decision established an important political precedent. Washington’s career connects the Revolutionary generation celebrated by America250 with the constitutional government that followed independence.