April 30, 1789

First inauguration of George Washington

George Washington takes office as the first U.S. president

The first inauguration had no inherited script — the Constitution supplied only the oath's wording — and a Bible had to be fetched from a nearby Masonic lodge.

30 April 1789: the balcony at Federal Hall

At about 12:30 p.m. on 30 April 1789, Washington travelled by state coach from his Franklin Square residence to Federal Hall in New York City, then the temporary national capital. Congress had arranged the oath for the building's second-floor outdoor balcony so the largest possible crowd could witness it.

New York Chancellor Robert R. Livingston administered the oath prescribed by Article II. Washington repeated it and kissed the Bible held for the ceremony; Livingston proclaimed him president, and thirteen cannons fired.

Inside, the first inaugural address

Washington then returned indoors to the Senate Chamber and delivered the first presidential inaugural address to the assembled House and Senate. Senator William Maclay wrote that he trembled more before Congress than he had before levelled cannon or pointed muskets.

The company proceeded afterwards to St. Paul's Church for a service, and fireworks closed the official programme that evening. The inaugural ball did not happen that night: pressing public business postponed it until 7 May.

Late, and unscripted

The ceremony had been expected on 4 March, but Congress lacked quorums and could not count the electoral votes until 6 April, when Washington's 69 votes were confirmed and word sent to Mount Vernon. John Adams had already taken up his vice-presidential duties on 21 April; the day's central constitutional event was Washington's oath.

One familiar detail should be marked as tradition rather than record: there is no reliable contemporary evidence that Washington added “So help me God” to the constitutional oath.

Sources

Researched 23 Aug 2026 7 sources 3 audit passes

How this was checked

Researched from the web into a fact sheet, rewritten from that sheet, then audited against it by a different model. How the pipeline works →

What the sources leave uncertain

There is no reliable contemporary evidence that Washington added 'So help me God' to the constitutional oath; the fact sheet therefore does not repeat that later tradition.
Some secondary pages conflict over minor ceremonial details, but the date, place, oath administrator, balcony setting, address, church service, and fireworks are strongly documented.