Inauguration history: What happened on the day George Washington became president in 1789

On the afternoon of April 30, 1789, George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States.

Since Washington took his oath of office, Inauguration Day has continued to be an important day in American tradition. But the event looks much different than it did back then.

Perhaps the most notable difference between Washington’s inauguration and more modern ones is the location. Washington, D.C., wasn’t established as the nation’s capital until 1790 — the year after Washington became the nation’s first president. Instead, Washington’s inauguration was held in New York City.

Before the inauguration, Washington traveled over 200 miles from his home in Mount Vernon, Va, to New York for the ceremony.

A little more than a year into his presidency, Washington signed the Residence Act, officially moving the United States capital from New York to Washington, D.C., in an attempt to please several slave states. As a result, Washington would be the only president sworn into office outside of Washington, D.C.

At sunrise that morning, cannons at Fort George rang out in a military salute. Later, church bells tolled throughout the city for half an hour.

Shortly before the inauguration began, the president-elect traveled from his temporary lodging at Franklin House — which would soon become the first presidential mansion — to Federal Hall on Wall Street. He was escorted by 500 military men.

A similar practice exists today. On Jan. 20, before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as the United States’ 47th president, he and Melania Trump will be joined by outgoing president Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, in a procession to the Capitol building, where he will take his oath of office for the second time.

Washington arrived at Federal Hall, where Congress then met, around 1 p.m. About an hour later, incoming Vice President John Adams led Washington onto a balcony, where he was officially sworn in as the nation’s first president in front of hundreds of people.

Following the ceremony, Washington retreated to the Senate chambers to deliver his inaugural address, followed by a church service at St. Paul’s Chapel. Shortly after, he returned to Franklin House for a private dinner and a fireworks display.

Today, inaugurations attract hundreds of thousands of viewers and have many more events, such as tea at the White House, performances by musical artists and a series of inaugural balls in the evening.