The U.S. presidential inauguration is the ultimate symbol of the peaceful transfer of power in America. Even after contested elections—and when the union among the states was in peril—presidents have stood before the public and sworn an oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Inauguration Day’s many traditions help reinforce that symbolic role. Typically, the day begins with the president-elect traveling with the outgoing president and congressional leaders to Capitol Hill to take the oath of office and deliver an inaugural address before throngs of people. The new president then leads a parade back to the White House, and caps off the day by attending multiple inaugural balls held throughout the nation’s capital.

These traditions