George Washington (1732–1799) commanded the Continental Army and served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797. He helped create federal institutions and set important presidential precedents, though his legacy is complicated by his ownership of enslaved people.
As commander of the Continental Army and the nation’s first president, George Washington led the United States through its formative years, establishing key institutions and precedents such as the presidential cabinet, the federal judiciary, and the peaceful transfer of power.
He helped stabilize the new federal government and promoted neutrality in foreign affairs, but his record is mixed: his actions shaped federal authority and American diplomacy while his ownership of enslaved people and contested policies remain central to assessments of his legacy.
Led Continental Army to victory in the American Revolution; Unanimously elected first President (1789) and served two terms; Established the presidential cabinet and signed the Judiciary Act of 1789; Oversaw the ratification of the Bill of Rights; Issued the Neutrality Proclamation and wrote the Farewell Address advocating non-entanglement; Suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion and set the two-term presidential precedent
Key highlights and dated events associated with this presidency.
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President George Washington signed the Copyright Act of 1790, the first federal copyright statute protecting "maps, charts, and books."
A private dinner hosted on May 29, 1790, where Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison brokered a deal linking federal assumption of state debts to the siting of the national capital on the Potomac.
On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island formally ratified the United States Constitution, becoming the last of the original thirteen states to do so.
On May 29, 1790, Thomas Jefferson hosted a dinner at which he, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison forged a political compromise: southern support for federal assumption of state debts in exchange for locating the national capital on the Potomac River.
On May 7, 1790 U.S. commissioners and Creek chiefs, including Alexander McGillivray, signed the Treaty of New York to establish boundaries and a formal peace agreement between the parties.
President Washington signed the Patent Act (An Act to promote the progress of useful arts), creating the first federal patent system.
Congress enacted the Naturalization Act, which set the first federal rules for becoming a U.S. citizen, limiting naturalization to free white persons and prescribing a minimum residency requirement.
Congress passed 'An Act providing for the enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States,' establishing a federal decennial census to begin in 1790.
The Supreme Court of the United States held its inaugural session on February 2, 1790, at the Royal Exchange in New York City with Chief Justice John Jay presiding.
Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton submitted his Report on the Public Credit to Congress, recommending federal assumption of state debts and funding the national debt at par.
President George Washington delivered the first annual message to Congress in New York City, reviewing the nation's condition and recommending measures on public credit and foreign relations.
The 1st U.S. Congress assembled in New York City to begin its second session, resuming legislative business under the new federal government.