Embracing Local History: Inauguration Day in Nearby Washington D.C.
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As residents of Old Town, we’re fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful and historically rich parts of the country. And with history, comes tradition.
Every four years, Washington D.C. is brought to life with the spirit of celebration as locals and visitors from all over the United States hustle and bustle around the city in preparation for the inauguration of our President-Elect.
To honor this long-held tradition and the significance of the event as a whole, we thought it would be fun to share some little-known facts about of the formal swearing-in of the nation’s presidents.
The Presidential Inaugurations Weren’t Always in January
Since the first President of the United States, George Washington, was inaugurated on April 30th, 1789, every official to take that powerful seat has sworn an oath to support and uphold the constitution. If that date surprises you, it’s probably because as long as you can remember presidential inauguration day has been in January. But it wasn’t always that way.
Before 1937, new presidents were inaugurated in March in an effort to avoid bad weather. Only after Congress ratified the 20th Amendment to streamline the transfer of power and move inauguration day closer to Election Day did we begin to see the event consistently held on the 20th of January.
The Oath the President Must Swear before Taking Power is Outlined in The Constitution
Every president recites the same exact words (as detailed in The Constitution) before entering office. They are: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Although many political buffs will recall hearing most presidents include “So help me God” at the end of the inaugural oath, it’s not actually part of the original wording or a requirement of the swearing-in ceremony.
