He didn't want the job. Seriously. Most people imagine George Washington charging toward the presidency with the same grit he showed at Valley Forge, but the reality is much more human—and honestly, a bit more stressed out. When George Washington was the first president of the United States, he felt more like a "culprit going to his execution" than a triumphant hero. That’s a direct quote from a letter he wrote to Henry Knox. He was 57, his health was "kinda" shaky, and he really just wanted to retire to Mount Vernon to look after his farms.
Instead, he got a unanimous vote from the Electoral College. No one else has ever done that. Not once.
It’s easy to look back at 1789 and think the whole thing was a foregone conclusion, but the United States was basically a failed experiment at that point. The Articles of Confederation had flopped. The states were bickering over taxes and borders like angry neighbors. When Washington took the oath on that balcony at Federal Hall in New York City, he wasn't just starting a term; he was inventing a role that didn't have a guidebook.
The Man Who Invented the Presidency
People often forget that the Constitution is actually pretty vague about what a president does day-to-day. It says he’s the Commander in Chief and can make treaties, but it doesn't say how he should dress, who he should talk to, or even what people should call him.
Vice President John Adams—bless his heart—wanted something grand. He suggested "His Highness, the President of the United States of America, and Protector of their Liberties." Washington thought that was ridiculous. He settled on "Mr. President." It was a deliberate choice. He wanted to signal that he wasn't a king. He was a citizen.
Because George Washington was the first president of the United States, every single thing he did became a "precedent." That word gets thrown around a lot in history books, but think about the pressure of that. If he stayed in office too long, he’d look like a monarch. If he didn't use enough power, the federal government would stay weak and useless. He had to thread a needle while everyone in the world was watching to see if he’d trip.
He chose a cabinet that basically guaranteed drama. You had Alexander Hamilton at Treasury and Thomas Jefferson at State. Those two hated each other’s visions for the country. Hamilton wanted big cities, big banks, and a strong central government. Jefferson wanted an agrarian paradise where the states held the cards. Washington sat in the middle, trying to keep the room from exploding.
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The Money Problems and the Whiskey Rebellion
One of the biggest hurdles Washington faced was that the country was broke. Like, deeply in debt from the Revolution. Hamilton’s plan to fix this involved an excise tax on spirits. This led to the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.
Farmers in Western Pennsylvania were furious. They used whiskey as a form of currency, and they felt this tax was a slap in the face from a distant government that didn't understand them. This was the first real test of federal authority. Washington didn't just send a letter. He actually put on his uniform and led 13,000 militia troops toward Pennsylvania. He’s the only sitting president to ever lead troops in the field like that.
The rebels dispersed before any real fighting happened. It proved the new government could actually enforce its laws. It wasn't just a "paper" government anymore.
Why George Washington was the first president of the United States (and why it almost didn't happen)
We focus on the victories, but Washington’s presidency was full of massive headaches.
Take the Jay Treaty of 1795. It was an attempt to settle outstanding issues with Great Britain, but it was wildly unpopular with the public. People thought Washington was selling out to the British. They burned effigies of John Jay. They cursed Washington’s name in the streets. It was a brutal moment for a man who was used to being universally loved.
He stayed the course because he knew the young nation couldn't survive another war with England. Not yet. He was playing the long game.
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The Myth of the Wooden Teeth
While we're talking about the man, let’s clear up the most famous lie. Washington did NOT have wooden teeth. Honestly, wood would have been terrible for dentures anyway. They would have splintered and soaked up... well, everything.
His dentures were actually a nightmare of ivory, gold, lead, and—this is the grim part—human teeth purchased from enslaved people or taken from cadavers. They were held together by springs that made it hard to talk and even harder to smile. This is why he looks so grim and tight-lipped in his portraits. He wasn't just being stoic; he was trying to keep his teeth from popping out of his mouth.
The Precedent of Stepping Away
The most important thing Washington ever did wasn't something he started, but something he finished. He walked away.
After two terms, he’d had enough. He was tired, his hearing was fading, and the partisan bickering in the newspapers was getting nasty. By stepping down in 1797, he established the two-term tradition that lasted until FDR. He showed the world that power could be transferred peacefully. In an era of emperors and kings, this was revolutionary.
King George III reportedly said that if Washington truly gave up power and went back to his farm, he would be "the greatest man in the world."
He did. And he was.
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Realities of the Mount Vernon Era
We have to talk about the contradiction of Washington. He was the "Sword of the Revolution" and the "Father of his Country," but he was also a man who held over 300 people in bondage at Mount Vernon.
As his presidency went on, his private writings showed he was increasingly uneasy about slavery. He realized it was a moral stain and an economic disaster waiting to happen. Yet, he didn't abolish it during his lifetime. He was worried that pushing the issue would tear the fragile new Union apart. He did include a provision in his will to manumit (free) the enslaved people he owned after his wife Martha passed away. It’s a complex, often uncomfortable legacy that historians like Ron Chernow and Alexis Coe have explored in great detail.
You can't fully understand the man without acknowledging that he fought for liberty while denying it to others on his own doorstep.
What You Can Learn from Washington's Leadership
If you're looking for actionable insights from the first presidency, forget the cherry tree stories. Look at his actual management style.
- Surround yourself with people smarter than you. Washington knew he wasn't a financial genius like Hamilton or a philosopher like Jefferson. He hired them anyway and listened to them.
- The power of the "No." He turned down the chance to be a king. Knowing when to stop is often more important than knowing when to start.
- Civility under fire. Despite the "fake news" of his day (and there was plenty of it), he maintained a level of dignity that set the tone for the office.
How to Explore This History Today
If you want to move beyond the textbook version of George Washington, there are a few things you should actually do.
- Visit Mount Vernon's digital archives. They have digitized thousands of his actual letters. Seeing his handwriting makes the history feel a lot less like a statue and more like a person.
- Read the Farewell Address. It’s not just a goodbye; it’s a warning about political parties and foreign entanglements that feels eerily relevant in 2026.
- Check out the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. They have his actual wartime tent. Standing next to it gives you a sense of the physical scale of the man and the stakes he was playing for.
George Washington was the first president of the United States not because he was a perfect man, but because he was the only man everyone could agree on. He spent eight years trying to prove that a republic could actually work. Most of the time, he wasn't even sure if it would. That uncertainty is what makes his success so much more impressive than the myths suggest.