George Washington was the first president of the United States. It's one of those facts we learn so early it almost loses its meaning. But honestly, if you look at the mess of the late 1700s, it’s a miracle the guy even wanted the job. He didn't have a predecessor to copy. There was no "Presidential Manual for Dummies" sitting on a desk in a temporary office in New York City. He was basically winging it while the entire world waited for the American experiment to go up in flames.
Most people think of him as that stiff, powdered-wig guy on the dollar bill. He looks bored. Maybe a little grumpy. But the real Washington was a massive, athletic man who was arguably the only person everyone in the colonies actually trusted. Without him, the United States probably would have fractured into a dozen tiny, bickering countries before the 19th century even hit.
The Reluctant Executive
Washington didn't campaign. He didn't do rallies. In fact, he really wanted to stay at Mount Vernon and deal with his wheat crops and dog breeding. By 1789, he was tired. He’d already spent eight years leading the Continental Army through a brutal war against the British Empire. He was in his late 50s, which, in the 18th century, was pretty late in the game.
But the Electoral College gave him every single vote. Every one. That’s a level of national consensus we will literally never see again. He felt a "dread" about taking the position, describing his move to the seat of government as feeling like a "culprit who is going to the place of his execution." He knew that every single thing he did—from how he dressed to how he spoke to Congress—would become a permanent rule for whoever came next.
Setting the Precedents
Because he was the first president of the United States, Washington had to invent the "look and feel" of the American presidency.
Some people wanted him to be called "His Highness" or "His Elective Majesty." John Adams, the Vice President, was a big fan of fancy titles. Washington shut that down. He went with "Mr. President." It sounds normal to us now, but back then, it was a radical statement. It meant he was a citizen, not a royal.
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He also created the Cabinet. The Constitution doesn't actually say the President has to have a group of advisors, but Washington realized he couldn't be an expert on everything. He brought in Thomas Jefferson for State and Alexander Hamilton for the Treasury. This was a classic Washington move: putting two people who absolutely hated each other in the same room because he valued their brains more than he feared their bickering.
The Reality of the 1790s
The country was broke. Like, actually broke. The Revolutionary War left the states with mountains of debt. Washington had to back Hamilton’s play to create a national bank, which nearly tore the government apart before it even started.
Then there was the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. Farmers in Western Pennsylvania were furious about a tax on spirits. They started getting violent. Washington didn't just send a letter; he put on his old uniform, hopped on a horse, and led 13,000 militia troops to put it down. It was the first and only time a sitting U.S. president led troops in the field. He had to prove that the federal government could actually enforce its laws. If he hadn't, the Constitution would have been just a piece of paper.
Slavery and the Washington Legacy
We have to talk about the uncomfortable part. Washington was a slaveholder. Even while he was leading a fight for "liberty," he held hundreds of people in bondage at Mount Vernon. This is the great American contradiction.
Historians like Erica Armstrong Dunbar, author of Never Caught, have detailed how Washington even went to great lengths to circumvent laws in Philadelphia that would have freed his enslaved servants after six months of residency. He rotated them back to Virginia to reset the clock. It’s a dark, complex part of his story that complicates the "hero" narrative. While he was the only Founding Father to stipulate in his will that his enslaved people be freed after his wife’s death, that doesn't erase the reality of his life as a plantation owner.
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The Greatest Move: Walking Away
If you ask a historian what Washington’s most important act was, they won't say a battle or a law. They’ll say his retirement.
After two terms, he just... left.
In an era of kings and emperors, people didn't just give up power. King George III reportedly said that if Washington gave up power voluntarily, he would be the "greatest man in the world." And he did. By refusing a third term, he established the two-term tradition that lasted until FDR (and was later made law by the 22nd Amendment). He wanted to show that the office was bigger than the man.
His Farewell Address is still studied today. He warned against two main things:
- Political Parties: He thought they would become "potent engines" by which "unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people."
- Foreign Entanglements: He wanted the young country to stay out of European wars.
He was kinda right on both counts, wasn't he?
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Why He Still Matters
Being the first president of the United States meant Washington had to be a symbol as much as a leader. He had to be the glue. When he died in 1799, the whole world mourned. Even the British Royal Navy lowered their flags to half-mast.
He wasn't a perfect man. He was a product of a brutal, flawed era. But he possessed a specific type of character—a willingness to restrain his own power—that is incredibly rare in human history. He defined the presidency as an office of service rather than a throne of authority.
How to Learn More About the First President
If you're looking to go deeper than a textbook, there are a few things you can actually do to see the "real" Washington:
- Visit Mount Vernon (virtually or in person): They have a massive digital archive of his letters. Reading his actual handwriting makes him feel a lot less like a statue and more like a guy stressed about his farm.
- Read "Washington: A Life" by Ron Chernow: This is the definitive biography. It's long, but it turns the "myth" back into a human being.
- Check out the Whiskey Rebellion sites: If you’re ever in Western Pennsylvania, you can see the places where the first major challenge to presidential authority went down.
- Look at the "Lansdowne Portrait": Search for the version by Gilbert Stuart. Look at the details—the books under the table, the rainbow in the background. It’s all propaganda designed to show that the new country was stable and peaceful.
Understanding Washington isn't just about memorizing dates. It's about understanding how a brand-new country survives its first decade without falling into a military dictatorship. He set the tone. Every president since has been living in his shadow, for better or worse. Washington didn't just fill the office; he created it from scratch.
Next Steps for Your Research
To get a true sense of the founding era, start by comparing Washington’s Farewell Address with the political climate of the 1800 election. It shows exactly how quickly his fears about "factions" came true. You might also want to look into the "Circular Letter to the States" from 1783, which contains his early vision for what the country should become long before he was ever elected. By examining his personal correspondence rather than just his official proclamations, you'll find a much more nuanced man than the one depicted on our currency.