The oath ceremony of the first US president’s swearing -in George Washington It is an extremely important fact for both America As for world political history. For the first time, a leader of an independent state took power, not through his inheritance right to the throne or violence, but through the constitutional process and popular will. The executive was no longer managed by a monarch arbitrarily, but a president elected by the American people. The efforts of so many years to claim Americans’ independence from Great Britain They had finally resulted in.
George Washington was one of the protagonists of the American struggle for independence. He was born on February 22, 1732 in Popes Creek, Virginia. At an early age, he served as a senior officer in the colonial British army. During his term of office, did not hide his dissatisfaction with the greatest colonial power of the time Whereas, when he was demobilized, he opposed taxes on the US colonies. Following the outbreak of the US Struggle for Independence, he was appointed Commander -in -Chief (in the summer of 1775), maintaining his office until the end of the war with Great Britain. Thanks to his strategic abilities and the persistence of Americans, the war with Great Britain was Nikiforos. On September 3, 1783, The British accepted their defeat by signing the Treaty of Paris by which they recognized the independence of the Americans.
The Americans recognized the leader in Washington’s face who would guide them in the difficult first steps.
Washington then retired to his estates in Mount Vernon. However, he soon returned to politics on the occasion of discussions on the US Constitution in 1787, making a key person in his final configuration. Two years later, he was elected first president of the United States of America, capitalizing his high prestige between his compatriotswho recognized the leader on his face who would guide them in the difficult steps of their newly formed state.
The swearing -in of the first US president, of course, was not an easy task. The mechanisms of the new state were still in an embryonic phase and many organizational issues remained vague. The first capital of the United States at that time was the New York and the ceremony was scheduled to take place at Federal Hall, a building that had been renovated to house the Congress. Since there was no precedent of how such an swearing -in had to be done, many details of the ceremony were invented at that time.
Washington recited his oath and as soon as he was finished, he bent down and kissed the Bible.
Congress decided that Washington had to swear before a judicial officer. THE Robert Livingstona top judicial officer of the New York State, was chosen to be the one who will read the president’s oath. On the morning of April 30, 1789, Washington went on foot from his home to Federal Hall, in front of a large crowd. He wore a suit made of American fabric.
The ceremony was held on the second floor balcony. After placing his hand in the Bible, Washington recited his oath. As soon as it was finished, he bent down and kissed the Bible, establishing a tradition that is followed to this day. Immediately afterwards, Livingston exclaimed: ‘Long live George Washington, the president of the United States!»The city echoed by cannon and the bells were solemnly ringing. The US president then delivered his first presidential speech, in which he emphasized his deep sense of responsibility and humility in the face of the enormous work he was undertaking.
Column: Myrto Katsigera, Vassilis Minakakis, Antigoni-Despina Poumenidou, Athanasios Syroplakis
