The first State of the Union address was delivered by President George Washington on January 8, 1790, in New York City, which was then the capital of the United States.

Key Facts About the First State of the Union Address:

Location: Federal Hall in New York City.

Audience: The First Congress of the United States.

Length: 1,089 words—one of the shortest in history.

Main Topics:

The strength and unity of the young nation.

The need to establish a national defense.

The importance of promoting science, industry, and agriculture.

Encouraging citizen participation in government.

Unlike today, Washington delivered the address in person, but later presidents (starting with Thomas Jefferson in 1801) sent it as a written report to Congress. The tradition of delivering it as a speech in person was revived by Woodrow Wilson in 1913 and continues today.

The traditional President's Day was originally celebrated on February 22, in honor of George Washington's birthday.

History of the Holiday:

1879: Congress declared February 22 (Washington’s Birthday) a federal holiday, originally observed only in Washington, D.C.

1885: The holiday was expanded to include the entire United States.

1971: The Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved the observance of Washington’s Birthday to the third Monday in February, creating what is now commonly called Presidents' Day.

The holiday was never officially renamed "Presidents' Day" at the federal level—it is still legally known as Washington's Birthday.

Over time, it evolved to honor both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as Lincoln’s birthday (February 12) was also celebrated in some states.