George Washington was unanimously elected the first President of the United States in 1789.

After leading the American army as General in the American Revolution, George Washington stopped attempts by his senior officers to declare him king, only to be pressed into elected office by the citizens of the fledgling nation. After being inundated by letters urging him to seek the Presidency, Washington was elected by the Electoral College with 69 out of the 138 votes cast. Each elector cast one of his votes for Washington, making his election unanimous. John Adams, who received 34 of the remaining 69 votes, became Vice President. George Washington was unanimously elected the first President of the United States in 1789.

EDSITEment 
Students use primary source materials to investigate the life and legend of George Washington in the EDSITEment lesson George Washington: The Living Symbol (9-12). 

In Washington and the Whiskey Rebellion (9-12), students use excerpts from Washington's diary to learn about a critical episode in his second administration, when federal efforts to collect an excise tax on liquor sparked armed resistance in the frontier communities of western Pennsylvania. 

In George Washington on the Sedition Act (9-12), students examine the arguments used by George Washington in support of the Sedition Act, which most modern Americans would find unjust. They focus on the role of partisan politics in the creation of and/or controversy over the Sedition Act.

Students learn about and discuss the powers and responsibilities of the President as defined by the Constitution in the curriculum unit Before and Beyond the Constitution: What Should a President do?(6-8). They list some of the precedents set during George Washington's term in office, and then match an action of a President with a power or responsibility of the Chief Executive.

Picturing First Families (K-2) takes students on a virtual trip to Washington, DC and the University of Virginia to gather clues about America's original First Family, their lives and this period in American history. 

Smithsonian's History Explorer
The history of the American presidency is examined in the online exhibition The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden (6-12). Through the use of objects from the museum's extensive collection, an interactive timeline, and interactive activities, students study the realities of the presidency, from its origins to the present, as well as the lives of the men who have held the office.

EconEdLink 
Explore more about elections in The Economics of Voting (9-12) and The Mystery of the Voters Who Don't Vote (9-12), which examine the phenomenon of low voter turnout from an economic perspective.