Who took the first presidential oath of office in United States history?

George Washington took the first presidential oath of office in United States history.

Washington’s first inauguration took place on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City, then the nation’s capital. Robert Livingston, the chancellor of New York, administered the oath on the building’s balcony before a large crowd.

Washington had led the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and later chaired the Constitutional Convention. His election as the first president gave the new constitutional government a nationally recognized leader, although the Constitution did not create a hereditary office or a monarch.

John Adams was the first vice president and became the second president after Washington’s two terms. Thomas Jefferson served as the third president, while James Madison became the fourth. The first inauguration is sometimes confused with Washington’s later oath ceremonies, but April 30, 1789, marks the beginning of the first presidential administration.