Who delivered the first inaugural address as president of the United States?

George Washington delivered the first inaugural address as president of the United States.

Washington was inaugurated on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City. He took the presidential oath administered by Chancellor Robert Livingston before delivering a speech to Congress. The event marked the beginning of the presidency created by the 1787 Constitution.

Washington’s address was relatively short by modern standards, containing 1,445 words. He expressed humility about the office and emphasized the importance of the new government’s success. His inaugural ceremony took place in New York because the city was the temporary national capital.

John Adams, the first vice president, attended the ceremony. Washington’s second inauguration occurred in Philadelphia in 1793, and later presidents adopted or modified the traditions associated with the first ceremony. The first inauguration is a key bridge between the ratification of the Constitution and the practical operation of the federal government celebrated in America250.