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.
