George Washington was the first president of the United States, a central figure in the founding era commemorated by America250.
Washington was unanimously elected by the Electoral College in the first presidential election, held in 1788–1789. He took the presidential oath on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City, then the national capital.
Before becoming president, Washington commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787. His military reputation and leadership helped make him the widely expected choice for the new office.
Washington served two terms, from 1789 to 1797, and was succeeded by his vice president, John Adams. The two-term precedent remained influential until Franklin D. Roosevelt won a third election in 1940; the Twenty-second Amendment later limited presidents to two elected terms.