Imagine being the only person in an entire country who is expected to invent a government from thin air. No pressure, right? When the start of George Washington's presidency kicked off in April 1789, the man wasn't exactly doing a victory lap. He was actually kind of miserable. He wrote to Henry Knox that his move to New York felt like a "culprit who is going to the place of his execution." That is a wild thing to say for a guy who just won a war, but it tells you everything you need to know about how high the stakes were.
He knew he was the experiment.
If he tripped, the whole American project would basically fall off a cliff. There was no "President’s Handbook." There wasn't even a fully formed Cabinet yet. He arrived at Federal Hall in New York City—which was the temporary capital back then—wearing a suit of brown broadcloth made in America. This wasn't just a fashion choice. It was a massive middle finger to British imports. He was literally wearing his policy positions on his sleeves.
The Reluctant Inauguration of 1789
Most people think Washington jumped at the chance to lead. Honestly, he wanted to stay at Mount Vernon and fix his fences. The Revolutionary War had left his personal finances in a bit of a mess, and he was tired. But the Electoral College gave him every single one of their 69 votes. You can't really say no to a unanimous draft.
On April 30, 1789, he stood on the balcony of Federal Hall. He was so nervous his hands shook. He had to read his speech from notes, and his voice was reportedly quiet and strained.
The Constitution was a skeleton. Washington had to provide the muscle and skin. One of the first things he had to figure out was what to call himself. Some people in the Senate, like John Adams, wanted something ridiculous like "His Highness, the President of the United States of America, and Protector of their Liberties." Washington hated it. He pushed for "Mr. President." Simple. Direct. It set the tone that he was a citizen, not a king. This seems like a small detail, but in 1789, the world was ruled by monarchs who sat on gold thrones. A leader who wanted to be called "Mr." was a revolutionary concept in itself.
Inventing the Cabinet from Scratch
At the start of George Washington's presidency, the "Cabinet" didn't actually exist in the Constitution. The document says the President can ask for written opinions from department heads, but it doesn't say they have to sit in a room and argue. Washington realized pretty quickly that he couldn't do everything himself. He needed people who were smarter than him in specific areas.
So, he picked a "Team of Rivals" before that was even a cool phrase.
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- Thomas Jefferson was brought back from France to be Secretary of State.
- Alexander Hamilton took over the Treasury.
- Henry Knox stayed on as Secretary of War.
- Edmund Randolph became the Attorney General.
Putting Hamilton and Jefferson in the same room was like putting a firework in a microwave. Hamilton wanted a strong central bank and an industrial economy. Jefferson wanted a nation of farmers and hated the idea of a big federal government. Washington sat in the middle. He wasn't a policy wonk; he was a facilitator. He let them debate, sometimes for hours, and then he would make the final call. This created the precedent for the executive branch functioning as a collaborative body rather than a one-man show.
The Debt Crisis and the First Big Fight
The United States was broke. Like, "checking the couch cushions for nickels" broke. The federal government owed $54 million, and the states owed another $25 million. In 1789 dollars, that was an astronomical sum. Alexander Hamilton came up with a plan: the federal government would "assume" all the state debts.
This caused a massive rift. Southern states like Virginia had already paid off most of their debt and didn't want to bail out Northern states like Massachusetts.
This is where the famous "Room Where It Happens" dinner took place. Washington stayed out of the direct mud-slinging, but his presence loomed over it. Eventually, a deal was struck: the South would agree to the debt plan if the permanent capital was moved to the Potomac River. Washington personally surveyed the land for what would become D.C. He was a surveyor by trade, after all. He literally walked the woods to mark the boundaries of the future seat of power.
Setting the Social Standard
Washington knew that every move he made would be copied by every president after him. He was obsessed with "precedent."
He decided to hold "levées"—formal receptions on Tuesday afternoons. Men would come, bow to him (he didn't shake hands, he thought it was too informal for a head of state), and chat. Martha Washington held her own parties on Fridays. These weren't just social hours; they were ways to build a national identity. He was trying to create a "republican court" that was dignified but not royal.
He also went on a tour of the states. He visited all 13 of them. He didn't stay in private mansions; he stayed in public taverns. He wanted people to see the President as a person, not a distant myth. By traveling to the outskirts of the country, he was stitching together a collection of states that still felt like 13 separate countries into one single nation.
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The Whiskey Rebellion: The First Real Test
You can't talk about the start of George Washington's presidency without mentioning the first time he had to use force against his own people. In 1791, Congress put a tax on distilled spirits. For farmers in Western Pennsylvania, whiskey wasn't just a drink; it was currency. It was easier to transport jugs of moonshine over the mountains than it was to haul heavy bags of grain.
They rebelled. They tarred and feathered tax collectors.
Washington didn't mess around. He didn't want the new government to look weak like it did during Shays' Rebellion under the old Articles of Confederation. He raised a militia of 13,000 men—which was roughly the size of the entire Continental Army during the war—and personally led them toward Pennsylvania.
He was the only sitting president to ever lead troops in the field.
The rebellion evaporated as soon as they saw the "Old Fox" coming. He proved that the federal government could and would enforce its laws. But then, in a move that defined his character, he pardoned the leaders of the rebellion. He wanted to show strength, but not tyranny.
The Neutrality Nightmare
While Washington was trying to build a country, Europe was on fire. The French Revolution had turned into a bloodbath, and France and Britain were at war.
This put Washington in a terrible spot. We had a treaty with France from our own Revolution. Jefferson wanted to help the French. Hamilton wanted to stay friendly with Britain because we needed their trade to survive.
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Washington issued the Proclamation of Neutrality in 1793. It was basically him saying, "We are too young and too weak to get involved in your family drama." This was incredibly unpopular with the public, who loved the French "liberty" vibes. He was called a traitor. People protested outside his house. But he stuck to it. He knew that a war in the 1790s would have wiped the U.S. off the map before it even started.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think Washington was a dry, wooden figure who never had a doubt. In reality, he was constantly worried about his reputation. He was terrified of being seen as a failure.
Another misconception: that he was a Federalist. While he usually sided with Hamilton's policies, he actually hated the idea of political parties. In his mind, "factions" were a disease that would destroy the country. He spent most of his second term trying to mediate between Hamilton and Jefferson until he finally gave up and let Jefferson resign.
He also didn't have wooden teeth. They were made of ivory, gold, and, unfortunately, teeth from enslaved people. It’s a grim reality that highlights the massive contradiction of his life: a man leading a "liberty" movement while holding human beings in bondage. Understanding the start of George Washington's presidency requires looking at those contradictions. He was a man of immense integrity who was also deeply flawed by the standards of both our time and, increasingly, his own.
Actionable Insights from Washington’s Leadership
Even though he lived in a world of quills and horses, Washington’s approach to the presidency offers some pretty solid lessons for anyone in a leadership role today.
- Prioritize Precedent Over Impulse: Before you make a decision, ask yourself: "If everyone did this from now on, would the organization survive?" Washington lived by this.
- Hire People Who Challenge You: If he had hired three "yes-men" instead of Hamilton and Jefferson, the U.S. economy would have likely collapsed in the 1790s.
- Know When to Walk Away: The most important thing Washington ever did was leave. By stepping down after two terms, he ensured the U.S. wouldn't become a dictatorship.
- Visual Symbols Matter: Whether it's the clothes you wear or the name of your office, symbols communicate your values faster than a 50-page memo.
If you want to dive deeper into this era, your next step should be to look at the Jay Treaty of 1795. It was the most controversial moment of his presidency and nearly led to his impeachment, yet it probably saved the country from a second war with England. Understanding that treaty is the key to seeing how Washington prioritized long-term stability over short-term popularity.
Practical Next Steps for History Buffs:
- Read the Farewell Address: It’s not just a goodbye; it’s a warning about political parties and foreign entanglements that feels eerily relevant today.
- Visit Mount Vernon’s Digital Archives: They have scanned thousands of his original letters that show his "real" voice—frustrations, jokes, and all.
- Check out "The Great Divide" by Thomas Fleming: It gives a gritty, non-sanitized look at the battle between Washington and Jefferson.
The start of George Washington's presidency wasn't a smooth transition. It was a messy, experimental, and often terrifying period that only worked because a very tired man from Virginia was obsessed with doing the right thing for the future, even when it made him miserable in the present.