George Washington took the presidential oath at Federal Hall on April 30, 1789, a milestone in the early republic before America250.
Washington's first inauguration marked the formal beginning of the executive branch under the Constitution. Federal Hall stood in New York City, which was then the nation's capital. Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the oath on the building's balcony.
John Adams had already become vice president and presided over the Senate. Washington's ceremony therefore did not inaugurate both men on the same day, despite their taking office during the same transition to the new federal government.
Washington was unanimously chosen by the Electoral College as the nation's first president. His inauguration occurred nearly two months after the start of his constitutional term, reflecting the time required for the new government and Congress to organize. The event is separate from the Declaration's adoption in 1776 and the Constitution's signing in 1787.