Unanimously elected President of the United States twice, George Washington played an essential part in shaping the role and function of the first President of the United States. We will focus on some highlights of his presidency periods.
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1. President Washington never lived in Washington, D.C.
George Washington is the only US president to have never occupied the White House. In New York and then later in Philadelphia, the Washingtons occupied a series of grand houses, where they received members of Congress, officials, foreign dignitaries, and other prominent people according to a standing weekly schedule.
In July 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act which called for the permanent capital of the United States to be located on the Potomac River (the future Washington D.C.). President Washington personally overlooked the building of what he once termed "the seat of Empire." He specified the location of the ten-mile square federal district, the President's mansion (the White House), and the Capitol.
Washington involved himself in almost all aspects of the project, even after his retirement from the presidency in 1797.
2. George Washington established the tradition of a cabinet of advisors.
Thomas Jefferson, 1788 (White House Historical Association)While the Constitution calls for the creation of executive departments, it only explained that the heads of executive departments were unelected officials who had to answer to the president. Washington defined how these roles would function.
While the current presidential cabinet includes sixteen members (fifteen heads of executive agencies and the vice president), Washington’s cabinet included just four original members: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Washington set the precedence for how these roles would interact with the presidency, establishing the cabinet as the chief executive’s private, trusted advisors. Further, Washington sought to include multiple perspectives in the cabinet, perhaps best exhibited by the political spectrum ranging from Hamilton to Jefferson.
While variance helped ensure that differing ideas would be aired, it also created tensions, particularly regarding debates over the establishment of a national bank. As Jefferson himself admitted, "Hamilton and myself were daily pitted in the cabinet like two cocks.” Despite the harsh disagreements, Jefferson believed that the tone had little impact on quality of governance, explaining that "The pain was for Hamilton and myself, but the public experienced no inconvenience."
3. Washington signed into law the first copyright law
On May 31, 1790, President Washington signed the Copyright Act of 1790 into law. Formally titled, “An act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned,” the legislation was the first law protecting copyright in the United States. The act explained that it intended to protect “the author and authors of any map, chart, book or books already printed within these United States,” and that authors would “have the sole right and liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing and vending such map, chart, book or books.” Copies of the law bearing Washington’s signature were re-printed in newspapers throughout the country.
4. Washington set precedents for the social life of the president
Washington was concerned that the presidents of the Confederation Congress had been overwhelmed by visitors in the past. As a result, during the presidency Washington set aside the late afternoon for meetings with the public and evenings for dinner parties with invited guests. On Tuesday afternoons Washington received male callers from three until four o'clock in the afternoon. The reception was a series of gentlemanly introductions and greetings where Washington was visited in a formal manner as President of the United States. Friday evenings included both women and men and were less formal affairs featuring interaction with colleagues and other politicians.
President Washington invitation card (Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association)
Washington is sworn in as President of the United States (Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association)
5. Washington’s second inaugural address is the shortest ever delivered
Washington’s second inaugural, delivered March 4, 1793, clocked in at less than two minutes and was only 135 words in length. The text of that ever-so-brief address reads:
“I am again called upon by the voice of my country to execute the functions of its Chief Magistrate. When the occasion proper for it shall arrive, I shall endeavor to express the high sense I entertain of this distinguished honor, and of the confidence which has been reposed in me by the people of united America.”
“ Previous to the execution of any official act of the President the Constitution requires an oath of office. This oath I am now about to take, and in your presence: That if it shall be found during my administration of the Government I have in any instance violated willingly or knowingly the injunctions thereof, I may (besides incurring constitutional punishment) be subject to the upbraidings of all who are now witnesses of the present solemn ceremony.”
6. Washington’s Farewell Address is one of the most celebrated speeches in American history.
Washington’s Farewell Address, which warned against “the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party,” encouraged a focus on education and morality, cautioned against sectionalism within the nation, and admonished against entangling foreign alliances, has continued to have influence over American culture and political debates long past when it was first published.
In the midst of the Civil War, on February 19, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling on Americans to mark Washington’s birthday. Lincoln “recommended to the people of the United States that they assemble in their customary places of meeting for public solemnities on the 22d day of February” to “celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Father of his Country by causing to be read to them his immortal Farewell Address.”
Printed copy of Washington’s Farewell Address (Library of Congress) Since 1896, the United States Senate has commemorated Washington’s birthday with an annual reading of the Farewell Address, all 7,641 words, by a selected sitting Senator. At the conclusion of the reading, the chosen Senator signs and writes his or her thoughts on the significance of the address in the pages of a leather-bound book that is maintained by the Secretary of the Senate.
This measure levied a federal tax on domestic and imported alcohol, earmarked to offset a portion of the federal government’s recent assumption of state debts. This highly unpopular tax led to the Whiskey Rebellion.
Coinage Act of 1792
Created the United States Mint and the Dollar as our official currency.
Militia Acts of 1792
Two acts that allowed the President to call out the militia when threatened by foreign or domestic threats and created a more uniform and regulated militia structure.
Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
Made it a federal crime to assist an escaping slave and created a system that would return escaped slaves to their masters.
President George Washington leading his gathered forces during the Whiskey Rebellion (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Important Treaties
The Jay Treaty of 1795 (Wikimedia)
Jay Treaty (1795)
Normalized trade relations with Great Britain, removed British forts along the western frontier of the United States, and resolved various debt related issues with Great Britain.
This treaty of friendship with Spain also helped to clarify the borders between US and Spanish held territories in North America and opened the Mississippi River to American commerce.
Agreement to pay a yearly tribute to the Pasha of Tripoli in exchange for free, unmolested access to Mediterranean shipping lanes.
New States that Joined the Union during Washington’s Presidency
North Carolina (1789)
Rhode Island (1790)
Vermont (1791)
Kentucky (1792)
Tennessee (1796)
The new states of Kentucky and Tennessee circa 1800 (Library of Congress)
Word cited for this publication:
1. M. (2017). Ten Facts About Washington's Presidency. Retrieved August 25, 2017, from http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-first-president/ten-facts-about-washingtons-presidency/#-
2. R. (2017). The Greatest U.S. Presidents of All Time. Retrieved August 24, 2017, from http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-u-s-presidents-from-best-to-worst
3. Gillett, R. (2017, February 18). The top 20 presidents in US history, according to historians. Retrieved August 25, 2017, from http://www.businessinsider.com/the-top-20-presidents-in-us-history-according-to-historians-2017-2/#2-george-washington-19
4. T. (2017). Best Presidents of the United States. Retrieved August 26, 2017, from https://www.thetoptens.com/best-president-of-the-us/
Washington is sworn in as President of the United States (Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association)
Printed copy of Washington’s Farewell Address (Library of Congress)
George Washington was the general who led the rebels against the British troops... He deserved to be the first president. Great blog!
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