George Washington became the first president of the United States under the Constitution, making him a central figure in the history surrounding America250.
The Electoral College unanimously selected Washington in 1789. He took the oath of office on April 30 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 commanded the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and later presided over the Constitutional Convention. His reputation for military leadership and willingness to surrender power helped make him an acceptable choice to lead the new constitutional government.
Washington served two four-year terms and declined to seek a third. The Constitution did not originally impose a two-term limit, but his retirement established a powerful tradition that lasted until Franklin D. Roosevelt won a third term in 1940. The Twenty-Second Amendment later formalized the limit.