George Washington

George Washington commanded the Continental Army through the Revolutionary War and then presided over the 1787 Constitutional Convention, giving him unmatched authority when the new government took shape. Elected unanimously by the Electoral College, he was inaugurated in New York in 1789 and set virtually every precedent the office would follow.

As president he established the first Cabinet, signed legislation creating a national bank and financial system championed by Alexander Hamilton, and personally led troops to suppress the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion. His 1793 Neutrality Proclamation kept the young republic out of the war between Britain and France. Declining a third term, his Farewell Address warned against permanent foreign alliances and the dangers of political factions.

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