George Washington refused to shake hands.
George Washington had many challenges as the first president of the United States, and one of them was a lack of social mores around the presidency. The office was brand-new, so there was no established etiquette — including how constituents were supposed to greet the commander in chief.
Knowing he had to interact with the public, Washington held weekly one-hour receptions, called “levees,” which were very buttoned-up and formal. He received his guests wearing a black velvet suit and carrying a ceremonial sword — and he refused to shake anyone’s hand, which applied to his closest friends as well as the general public. He even held a hat to discourage anyone from trying. Instead, he and his guests would bow stiffly at one another at the beginning and end of the reception.
Washington was attempting to strike a balance between commanding respect and remaining accessible to the public, but his penchant for pomp was a little too close to the British royal court for some Americans. This included Washington’s longtime frenemy Thomas Jefferson, who preferred a more informal style. The presidential salons and customary bowing continued through John Adams’ presidency, but Jefferson abolished the levees and started shaking hands after he took office in 1801.
