Who was the first President of the United States?

GEORGE WASHINGTON was the first President of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He was unanimously elected by the Electoral College — the only president ever to receive every electoral vote. Washington had previously commanded the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, leading the colonies to victory against Britain. He presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787 that drafted the Constitution. As President, he established many traditions: voluntarily stepping down after two terms (a precedent followed until FDR), forming the first Cabinet, and giving the first State of the Union address. His farewell address (1796) warned against political parties, foreign entanglements, and sectionalism. Washington's image appears on the U.S. dollar bill and the quarter. He is often called the 'Father of His Country.' John Adams was the SECOND president (1797-1801); Thomas Jefferson was the THIRD (1801-1809); Benjamin Franklin, though a founding father, never served as president.