General George Washington is widely celebrated as the leader of our American troops – victorious in the Revolutionary War. We owe this remarkable man so very much. The defeat of the British Empire. Securing our path to freedom. And so much more. As a result, we often think of George Washington in terms of his remarkable military achievements. However, make no mistake about it, Washington’s accomplishments as President were of at least equal significance – establishing precedents that are still in place today, cementing our elected form of government, and providing the inspirational leadership to rally a uniquely American sense of pride and nation. We are indeed fortunate that George Washington served as our first President.
This coming Monday we celebrate Presidents' Day. It’s a holiday with a rather ambiguous name that most of us might associate with a day off from school or work, an extra day on the slopes, or some pretty good sales. But its foundations are actually rooted in a birthday celebration for two men who undeniably helped this country persevere through some of its toughest moments, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. We’ve often spoken about Abraham Lincoln in the Sunshine Report and his enduring legacy of seeing us through the Civil War. But what about that of our first president, whose presidency many scholars believe to have put our then burgeoning nation on a trajectory that allowed it to now endure more than 230 years?
Well known as the leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, beyond being our first president, his legacy as President may not be common knowledge. We may take the idea of democracy for granted today, but it’s important we don’t forget that when Washington first took office, the world over was ruled by monarchs and tyrants, single heads of state who ruled with absolute power. As the first president of a participatory democracy, he had to carefully balance establishing himself as the chief executive so as to govern effectively, while trying to avoid appearing as a monarch or dictator. Not only that, much of what he did while in office helped keep our youthful nation together in the face of those still loyal to the crown, while establishing traditions and presidential norms that still exist to this day.
Even in the face of personal attacks, not only against him but his family, he praised dissent, a free press, all in the interest of free thought. He believed that any person serving in the role of president should be limited to two terms, long observed as a norm, and ultimately becoming law in the 22nd Amendment after World War II. When first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Jay resigned, he chose from outside the court, setting an important legal precedent that members of the court can come from beyond the bench. He would even support and sign legislative bills sent to him from Congress that he disagreed with but viewed as not being in conflict with the Constitution, setting a precedent of executive restraint that helped legitimize the checks and balances of our governing system.
It’s almost unanimously agreed upon by scholars that George Washington was one of the few presidents who never sought to seek personal gain from his position and acted solely to see his newly founded nation through the early days of democratic statehood. And though his legacy certainly doesn’t end there, these few examples are enough to demonstrate the impact his presidency had upon our nation and give credence to the celebration of President’s Day this weekend.
