Unanimously elected twice, President Washington established many crucial presidential precedents.
George Washington helped shape the office's future role and powers, as well as set both formal and informal precedents for future presidents. Washington believed that it was necessary to strike a delicate balance between making the presidency powerful enough to function effectively in a national government, while also avoiding any image of establishing a monarchy or dictatorship. In the process, President Washington significantly influenced the path for the presidency moving forward, setting standards in all aspects, including political power, military practice, and economic policy.
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First Term Second Term
Everyone expected George Washington to win the first election in 1789. But an equally important question remained unanswered: would he accept the job?
Want to know what Washington did on his first day as President? Find out in our interactive timeline.
Just as her husband realized that his every action might set a precedent for future presidents, so was Martha Washington aware that her behavior as first lady would become the template for the wives of future chief executives.
After the American victory in the Revolution, George Washington repeatedly voiced opposition to slavery in personal correspondence. He privately noted his support for a gradual, legislative end to slavery, but as a public figure, he did not make abolition a cause.
President Washington confronted crises
and set the template for presidential leadership.
George Washington’s cabinet included four original members: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.
As the first president, and since there were no sitting justices at the beginning of his term, George Washington had the unique opportunity to fill the entire body of United States federal judges with his selections-- including the Supreme Court.
On January 8, 1790, President George Washington delivered to Congress the first State of the Union address in American history. This precedent setting address presented defense, foreign policy, economic, education, and immigration related topics.
The 1790 census was the first federally sponsored count of the American people and one of the most significant undertakings of Washington's first term.
In 1793, a yellow fever epidemic hit the city hard, and sent George Washington and the federal government packing.
In addition to his appearance in public settings, Washington paid close attention to the manner of domestic entertaining that he felt best defined the new American presidency.
This Q&A with author Warren Bingham explores the remarkable and challenging 1791 tour that President Washington made through the southern states.
Today we judge our modern Presidents by how much they achieved in their first 100 days. See how Washington stacked up to the others.
February 22, 1862
No Senate tradition has been more steadfastly maintained than the annual reading of President George Washington’s 1796 Farewell Address. In this letter to “Friends and Citizens,” Washington warned that the forces of geographical sectionalism, political factionalism, and interference by foreign powers in the nation's domestic affairs threatened the stability of the Republic. He urged Americans to subordinate sectional jealousies to common national interests.
The Senate tradition began on February 22, 1862, as a morale-boosting gesture during the darkest days of the Civil War. Citizens of Philadelphia had petitioned Congress to commemorate the forthcoming 130th anniversary of Washington's birth by reading the Address at a joint meeting of both houses.
Tennessee senator Andrew Johnson introduced the petition in the Senate. "In view of the perilous condition of the country," he said, "I think the time has arrived when we should recur back to the days, the times, and the doings of Washington and the patriots of the Revolution, who founded the government under which we live."
Two by two, members of the Senate proceeded to the House Chamber for a joint session. As they moved through Statuary Hall, they passed a display of recently captured Confederate battle flags. President Abraham Lincoln, whose son Willie had died two days earlier, did not attend. But members of his cabinet, the Supreme Court, and high-ranking military officers in full uniform packed the chamber to hear Secretary of the Senate John W. Forney read the Address.
Early in 1888—the centennial year of the Constitution’s ratification—the Senate recalled the ceremony of 1862 and had its presiding officer read the Address on February 22. Within a few years, the Senate made the practice an annual event.
Every year since 1896, the Senate has observed Washington's Birthday by selecting one of its members, alternating parties, to read the 7,641-word statement in legislative session. Delivery generally takes about 45 minutes. In 1985 Florida senator Paula Hawkins tore through the text in a record-setting 39 minutes, while in 1962 West Virginia senator Jennings Randolph, savoring each word, consumed 68 minutes.
At the conclusion of each reading, the appointed senator inscribes his or her name and brief remarks in a black, leather bound book maintained by the secretary of the Senate. Early entries in the notebook were typically brief explanations of the practice, accompanied by signature and date. Often, several entries appeared on a single page. In more recent years, entries have grown more elaborate and have included personal stories or comments on contemporary politics and policy. In 1956 Minnesota senator Hubert Humphrey wrote that every American should study this memorable message. “It gives one a renewed sense of pride in our republic,” he wrote. “It arouses the wholesome and creative emotions of patriotism and love of country.” The book's first entry bears the signature of Ohio Republican Joseph Foraker and is dated February 22, 1900. Links to selected entries are included below.
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IngallsJohn J. Ingalls (KS) | 18880222February 22, 1888 |
MandersonCharles F. Manderson (NE) | 18930232February 22, 1893 |
MartinJohn Martin (KS) | 18940222February 22, 1894 |
FryeWilliam P. Frye (ME) | 18960222February 22, 1896 |
DanielJohn W. Daniel (VA) | 18970222February 22, 1897 |
LodgeHenry C. Lodge (MA) | 18980222February 22, 1898 |
WolcottEdward O. Wolcott (CO) | 18990222February 22, 1899 |
ForakerJoseph B. Foraker (OH) | 19000222February 22, 1900 |
BaconAugustus O. Bacon (GA) | 19010222February 22, 1901 |
BurrowsJulius C. Burrows (MI) | 19020222February 22, 1902 |
DuboisFred T. Dubois (ID) | 19030223February 23, 1903 |
HeyburnWeldon B. Heyburn (ID) | 19040222February 22, 1904 |
PerkinsGeorge C. Perkins (CA) | 19050222February 22, 1905 |
McCrearyJames B. McCreary (KY) | 19060222February 22, 1906 |
BurkettElmer J. Burkett (NE) | 19070222February 22, 1907 |
McCumberPorter J. McCumber (ND) | 19080222February 22, 1908 |
McLaurinAnselm J. McLaurin (MS) | 19090222February 22, 1909 |
DepewChauncey M. Depew (NY) | 19100222February 22, 1910 |
YoungLafayette Young (IA) | 19110222February 22, 1911 |
KernJohn W. Kern (IN) | 19120222February 22, 1912 |
BrandegeeFrank Bosworth Brandegee (CT) | 19130222February 22, 1913 |
SwansonClaude A. Swanson (VA) | 19140222February 23, 1914 |
RootElihu Root (NY) | 19150222February 22, 1915 |
JohnsonCharles F. Johnson (ME) | 19160222February 22, 1916 |
WorksJohn D. Works (CA) | 19170222February 22, 1917 |
GerryPeter G. Gerry (RI) | 19180222February 22, 1918 |
FrelinghuysenJoseph S. Frelinghuysen (NJ) | 19190222February 22, 1919 |
PomereneAtlee Pomerene (OH) | 19200223February 23, 1920 |
WadsworthJames W. Wadsworth, Jr. (NY) | 19210222February 22, 1921 |
PoindexterMiles Poindexter (WA) | 19220222February 22, 1922 |
GlassCarter Glass (VA) | 19230222February 22, 1923 |
WillisFrank B. Willis (OH) | 19240222February 22, 1924 |
AshurstHenry F. Ashurst (AZ) | 19250223February 23, 1925 |
BinghamHiram Bingham (CT) | 19260222February 22, 1926 |
GeorgeWalter F. George (GA) | 19270222February 22, 1927 |
ShipsteadHenrik Shipstead (MN) | 19280222February 22, 1928 |
ReedJames A. Reed (MO) | 19290222February 22, 1929 |
VandenbergArthur H. Vandenberg (MI) | 19300222February 22, 1930 |
BrattonSam G. Bratton (NM) | 19310222February 22, 1931 |
WalshThomas J. Walsh (MT) | 19320223February 23, 1932 |
GlennOtis F. Glenn (IL) | 19330222February 22, 1933 |
O'MahoneyJoseph C. O'Mahoney (WY) | 19340222February 22, 1934 |
AustinWarren R. Austin (VT) | 19350222February 22, 1935 |
BachmanNathan L. Bachman (TN) | 19360222February 22, 1936 |
LodgeHenry C. Lodge, Jr. (MA) | 19370222February 22, 1937 |
EllenderAllen J. Ellender (LA) | 19380222February 22, 1938 |
TaftRobert A. Taft, Jr. (OH) | 19390222February 22, 1939 |
BurkeEdward R. Burke (NE) | 19400222February 22, 1940 |
WallaceWallace H. White, Jr. (ME) | 19410222February 22, 1941 |
GreenTheodore F. Green (RI) | 19420223February 23, 1942 |
MillikinEugene D. Millikin (CO) | 19430222February 22, 1943 |
ThomasElbert D. Thomas (UT) | 19440222February 22, 1944 |
SmithHoward A. Smith (NJ) | 19450222February 22, 1945 |
ChavezDennis Chavez (NM) | 19460222February 22, 1946 |
RevercombWilliam C. Revercomb (WV) | 19470222February 21, 1947 |
McMahonBrien McMahon (CT) | 19480222February 22, 1948 |
SmithMargaret Chase Smith (ME) | 19490222February 22, 1949 |
O'ConorHerbert R. O'Conor (MD) | 19500222February 22, 1950 |
FlandersRalph E. Flanders (VT) | 19510222February 22, 1951 |
PastoreJohn O. Pastore (RI) | 19520222February 22, 1952 |
CooperJohn S. Cooper (KY) | 19530223February 23, 1953 |
HuntLester C. Hunt (WY) | 19540222February 22, 1954 |
BushPrescott S. Bush (CT) | 19550222February 22, 1955 |
HumphreyHubert H. Humphrey, Jr. (MN) | 19560222February 22, 1956 |
GoldwaterBarry M. Goldwater (AZ) | 19570222February 22, 1957 |
ChurchFrank F. Church (ID) | 19580221February 21, 1958 |
AllottGordon L. Allott (CO) | 19590223February 23, 1959 |
MossFrank E. Moss (Ted) (UT) | 19600222February 22, 1960 |
ButlerJohn M. Butler (MD) | 19610222February 22, 1961 |
RandolphJennings Randolph (WV) | 19620222February 22, 1962 |
ProutyWinston L. Prouty (VT) | 19630222February 22, 1963 |
MuskieEdmund S. Muskie (ME) | 19640221February 21, 1964 |
PearsonJames B. Pearson (KS) | 19650222February 22, 1965 |
MetcalfLee W. Metcalf (MT) | 19660222February 22, 1966 |
CottonNorris H. Cotton (NH) | 19670222February 22, 1967 |
BrewsterDaniel B. Brewster (MD) | 19680222February 22, 1968 |
FanninPaul J. Fannin (AZ) | 19690221February 21, 1969 |
BurdickQuentin N. Burdick (ND) | 19700223February 23, 1970 |
BeallJohn G. Beall, Jr. (MD) | 19710222February 22, 1971 |
BenstenLloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. (TX) | 19720221February 21, 1972 |
MathiasCharles M. Mathias, Jr. (MD) | 19730219February 19, 1973 |
HughesHarold E. Hughes (IA) | 19740218February 18, 1974 |
GarnJake Garn (UT) | 19750217February 17, 1975 |
HartkeRupert V. Hartke (IN) | 19760216February 16, 1976 |
HayakawaSamuel I. Hayakawa (CA) | 19770221February 21, 1977 |
HuddlestonWalter D. Huddleston (KY) | 19780220February 20, 1978 |
WarnerJohn W. Warner (VA) | 19790219February 19, 1979 |
StewartDonald W. Stewart (AL) | 19800218February 18, 1980 |
KassebaumNancy L. Kassebaum (KS) | 19810216February 16, 1981 |
InouyeDaniel K. Inouye (HI) | 19820222February 22, 1982 |
TriblePaul S. Trible, Jr. (VA) | 19830221February 21, 1983 |
LautenbergFrank R. Lautenberg (NJ) | 19840220February 20, 1984 |
RockefellerJay Rockefeller (WV) | 19850218February 18, 1985 |
HawkinsPaula Hawkins (FL) | 19860217February 17, 1986 |
McCainJohn S. McCain III (AZ) | 19870216February 16, 1987 |
Sanford(James) Terry Sanford (NC) | 19880215February 15, 1988 |
WarnerJohn W. Warner (VA) | 19890222February 22, 1989 |
RobbCharles S. Robb (VA) | 19900222February 22, 1990 |
BurnsConrad Burns (MT) | 19910222February 22, 1991 |
WoffordHarris Wofford (PA) | 19920219February 19, 1992 |
KempthorneDirk Kempthorne (ID) | 19930224February 24, 1993 |
Moseley BraunCarol Moseley Braun (IL) | 19940222February 22, 1994 |
ThomasCraig L. Thomas (WY) | 19950220February 20, 1995 |
AkakaDaniel K. Akaka (HI) | 19960226February 26, 1996 |
FristWilliam H. Frist (TN) | 19970224February 24, 1997 |
LandrieuMary L. Landrieu (LA) | 19980223February 23, 1998 |
VoinovichGeorge V. Voinovich (OH) | 19990222February 22, 1999 |
MoynihanDaniel P. Moynihan (NY) | 20000222February 22, 2000 |
AllenGeorge Allen (VA) | 20010226February 26, 2001 |
CorzineJon S. Corzine (NJ) | 20020225February 25, 2002 |
ChamblissSaxby Chambliss (GA) | 20030224February 24, 2003 |
BreauxJohn B. Breaux (LA) | 20040223February 23, 2004 |
BurrRichard Burr (NC) | 20050218February 18, 2005 |
SalazarKenneth L. Salazar (CO) | 20060217February 17, 2006 |
CorkerBob Corker (TN) | 20070226February 26, 2007 |
PryorMark Pryor (AR) | 20080225February 25, 2008 |
JohannsMike Johanns (NE) | 20090223February 23, 2009 |
BurrisRoland Burris (IL) | 20100223February 23, 2010 |
IsaksonJohnny Isakson (GA) | 20110228February 28, 2011 |
ShaheenJeanne Shaheen (NH) | 20120227February 27, 2012 |
AyotteKelly Ayotte (NH) | 20130225February 25, 2013 |
KingAngus S. King, Jr. (ME) | 20140224February 24, 2014 |
HoevenJohn Hoeven (ND) | 20150223February 23, 2015 |
CoonsChristopher A. Coons (DE) | 20160222February 22, 2016 |
SasseBen Sasse (NE) | 20170228February 28, 2017 |
PetersGary C. Peters (MI) | 20180226February 26, 2018 |
Fischer, Deb (NE)Deb Fischer (NE) | 20190225February 25, 2019 |
Baldwin, Tammy (WI)Tammy Baldwin (WI) | 20200224February 24, 2020 |
Portman, Rob (R-OH)Rob Portman (OH) | 20210222February 22, 2021 |
Leahy, Patrick (D-VT)Patrick J. Leahy (VT) | 20220228February 28, 2022 |