Who took the presidential oath at the first United States presidential inauguration in 1789?

George Washington took the presidential oath at the first United States presidential inauguration on April 30, 1789.

The ceremony took place on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City, then the temporary national capital. Robert R. Livingston, chancellor of New York, administered the oath, while John Adams had already assumed office as the first vice president.

Washington’s inauguration occurred nearly two months after the beginning of his constitutional term because the new federal government needed time to organize and travel. He delivered an inaugural address to Congress after taking the oath, setting a precedent for a public explanation of presidential priorities.

The event is distinct from Washington’s later second inauguration in Philadelphia in 1793. It also differs from his military role during the Revolutionary War: the 1789 ceremony marked the beginning of the presidency created by the Constitution.