George Washington became the first president under the U.S. Constitution.
The Electoral College unanimously elected Washington in the first presidential election, held in 1788–1789. 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 vice president after receiving the second-highest electoral vote.
Washington had already become a central figure in the founding story. The Continental Congress appointed him commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in 1775, and he led the American war effort until the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781. He later presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Washington served two four-year terms, from 1789 to 1797, and then retired to Mount Vernon. His decision to leave office helped establish a tradition of limited presidential service, although the Constitution did not originally impose a two-term limit. He was succeeded by his vice president, John Adams.