Who was the first president of the United States, a central figure in America’s 250-year story?

George Washington was the first president of the United States. He served from 1789 to 1797 after being unanimously elected by the Electoral College in both 1788 and 1792.

Washington was already nationally known as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. His leadership helped hold the American forces together through military setbacks, supply shortages, and political disagreements. The American and French victory at Yorktown in 1781 was the war’s decisive military success.

Washington later presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which produced the current U.S. Constitution. He became the first president under that Constitution, establishing precedents for the new office. He is sometimes called the “Father of His Country,” but he was not the first leader of the colonies, the first commander of American forces, or the first person to serve in a national executive role under the Articles of Confederation.