William Penn Annex East in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Taking the Oath
| | The Executive Branch | |
"[H]e shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States "
Article II, Section 3
When the president enters office, he is required by the Constitution to take an oath to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution" to the best of his ability. This oath is part of the inaugural ceremony administered to every president since Washington. All federal officers are required to take a similar oath when they are sworn into office.
Washington's inauguration took place in New York City, but John Adams' inauguration was held at Congress Hall, here in Philadelphia, on March 4, 1797. In his inaugural address, Adams expressed his deep esteem and love for the Constitution and promised to uphold it.
Washington sat in the audience at Adams' inauguration as a private citizen. In an age of monarchies, revolutions, and military coups, it was rare for a head of state to peacefully and legally succeed his living predecessor. This peaceful transfer of power from Washington to Adams, and every president since, ensures the stability of government and places the power back
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"[T]he preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the Republican model of Government, are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people."
President George Washington,
First Inaugural Address, April 30, 1789
"With this great example before me, with the sense and spirit, the faith and honor, the duty and interest, of the same American people pledged to support the Constitution of the United States, I entertain no doubt of its continuance in all its energy, and my mind is prepared without hesitation to lay myself under the most solemn obligations to support it to the utmost of my power."
President John Adams, Inaugural Address, Delivered at Congress Hall, Philadelphia, March 4, 1797
[Caption:]
George Washington's inauguration as the first president of the United States, April 30, 1789, by Ramon Elorriaga.
National Park Service
Erected 2026 by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic
Location. 39° 57.026′ N, 75° 9.011′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in William Penn Annex East. It can be reached from the intersection of South 6th Street (County Road 2005) and Market Street (County Road 2004), on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 598 Market St, Philadelphia PA 19106, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Ambassadors Clause (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named History Lost & Found (a few steps from this marker); State of the Union (a few steps from this marker); The Executive Mansion (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
Other markers no longer nearby. Strengthening Ties with the United States (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The President's House Site 1790-1800 (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Archeology Methods and Interpretation (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The President's House - Washington and Adams (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Enslaved Africans in the Household of George and Martha Washington (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Contagion and Liberty (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Chef Hercules (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Awarding a Peace Medal (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Mount Vernon to Philadelphia (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); History Lost & Found (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named History Lost & Found (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named History Lost & Found (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Additional commentary.
1. The marker as propaganda
This marker functions as political propaganda by asserting an unbroken record of "peaceful transfer of power" to project institutional stability and foster civic faith. By claiming that this tradition has continued smoothly with "every president since" Washington, this text effectively erases two notable events in U.S. history: the political bargain and voter suppression of the 1876 election that ended Reconstruction, and the January 6, 2021 insurrection that was staged in an attempt to prevent the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election. In doing so, it replaces a complex, contested history with an idealized patriotic myth. While it makes for a nice, clean story, it is simply untrue.
— Submitted July 28, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 28, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 28, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 28, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
