<P> Although the Twenty - second Amendment was clearly a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt 's service as President for an unprecedented four terms , the notion of presidential term limits has long - standing roots in American politics . The Constitutional Convention of 1787 considered the issue extensively , although it ultimately declined to restrict the amount of time a person could serve as president . But following George Washington 's decision to retire after his second elected term , numerous public figures subsequently argued he had established a `` two - term tradition '' that served as a vital check against any one person , or the presidency as a whole , accumulating too much power . </P>
<P> Although the Twenty - second Amendment was clearly a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt 's service as President for an unprecedented four terms , the notion of presidential term limits has long - standing roots in American politics . The Constitutional Convention of 1787 considered the issue extensively , although it ultimately declined to restrict the amount of time a person could serve as president . But following George Washington 's decision to retire after his second elected term , numerous public figures subsequently argued he had established a `` two - term tradition '' that served as a vital check against any one person , or the presidency as a whole , accumulating too much power . </P>
what u.s. president established the precedent of not seeking more than two terms in office
what u.s. president established the precedent of not seeking more than two terms in office
George Washington
George Washington