The first president of the United States was George Washington. He served as president from 1789 to 1797 and was unanimously elected by the Electoral College in the first U.S. presidential election held in 1789

. Washington was a Founding Father and the commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, leading the colonies to victory over Britain. He set many precedents for the presidency, including the two-term tradition and the use of the title "Mr. President"

. While John Hanson served as "President of the United States in Congress Assembled" under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 to 1782, this role was different from the presidency established by the U.S. Constitution. Washington is recognized as the first president under the current constitutional framework

. In summary, George Washington is widely regarded as the first president of the United States in the modern sense, serving two terms from 1789 to 1797