There have been inaugurals in times of national crisis, in times of war and in times of bitter dissension. But much about the 59th Inauguration was nonetheless unique: The small number of attendees seated far apart in masks; the absence of the incumbent president two weeks following an insurrection he encouraged; the first woman elected as vice president. And yet much was still familiar: The new president recited the oath of office as it appears in the Constitution, as has been done every four years since 1789.
Here are some images of a day that both shattered precedent and reinforced it.

Claire Harbage / º£½ÇÉçÇø
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º£½ÇÉçÇø

Eric Thayer / Getty Images
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Getty Images

Tyrone Turner / WAMU
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WAMU

Jim Watson / Getty Images
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Getty Images

Claire Harbage / º£½ÇÉçÇø
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º£½ÇÉçÇø

Claire Harbage / º£½ÇÉçÇø
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º£½ÇÉçÇø

Elizabeth Gillis / º£½ÇÉçÇø
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º£½ÇÉçÇø

Saul Loeb / Getty Images
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Getty Images

Daniel Acker / Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Bloomberg via Getty Images

Elizabeth Gillis / º£½ÇÉçÇø
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º£½ÇÉçÇø

Daniel Acker / Getty Images
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Getty Images

Daniel Acker / Getty Images
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Getty Images

Elizabeth Gillis / º£½ÇÉçÇø
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º£½ÇÉçÇø

/ Getty Images
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Getty Images

Tyrone Turner / WAMU
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WAMU

Claire Harbage / º£½ÇÉçÇø
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º£½ÇÉçÇø

/ Eman Mohammed for º£½ÇÉçÇø
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Eman Mohammed for º£½ÇÉçÇø

Tyrone Turner / WAMU
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WAMU

Evan Vucci / AP
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AP
Di'Amond Moore is a photo editing intern at º£½ÇÉçÇø.
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