George Washington served as the first U.S. president from 1789 to 1797, creating many constitutional practices and federal precedents. He organized the president's cabinet, exercised executive authority, and used the veto for the first time; his neutrality policy during the French Revolutionary Wars and his leadership during the Whiskey Rebellion also defined early U.S. governance. He backed Hamiltonian programs, assisted in establishing the nation's capital site, and guided the Bill of Rights' early implementation. He led the Northwest Indian War and secured the Jay Treaty and the Treaty of San Lorenzo, strengthen frontier security. The Navy re-emerged under the Naval Act of 1794 to protect commerce.