Of all the people in American history, George Washington was the most memorable of them all. His legacy was remembered from the Seven Years War to his ascension as the first President of the United States. Many people in today’s society consider him to be the greatest man that ever lived. George Washington is an American icon, an irreplaceable figure, who played a key role in many of the foundations of America. Without him, many events would not have happened in American history.

To go deeper into depth on his life, he was first a commander of British American forces in the North American French and Indian War during the 1750s. After years of battle, Washington retired from military service and spent the next sixteen years as a Virginian planter and politician. Marrying Martha Dandridge Custis in 1759, the newlywed couple moved to Mount Vernon, Washington inheriting a great dowry from a wealthy widow. Proceeding to the highlights, he brought the interest of war against the British in the Second Continental Congress in 1775, later being appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Although suffering several defeats against the mighty “redcoats”, Washington and his men endured, bringing independence to the United States of America in 1783.

Washington was called forth once again in 1789, asked to serve the first presidency of the new nation. The only president in American history to receive one hundred percent of electoral votes, Washington took his place with honor, refusing to make his power more supreme and justified. Forced to witness the rise of political parties during his reign, Washington was in the middle of a “war” between Cabinet members Alexander Hamilton of the Federalist Party and Thomas Jefferson of the Republicans. In his farewell address, Washington simply warned the American people of the dangers of political parties and how they could damage national unity. Regardless of the flaws mentioned by many historians, Washington proved that selfless people existed, and that they had the capacity to bring about change.

To further understand how important Washington is to the history of America, it is best to consider hypothetically of his nonexistence and its impact. Without Washington, the Continental Congress would have appointed a different commander for the Continental Army. Washington was the primary reason why the Americans defeated the British in the American Revolution. He brought strength and determination to his soldiers, proving to them that they had a chance to defeat the powerful enemy. When the Continental Army lost a battle, he was the one who told them to never give up and lose hope. In other words, Washington created hope for his men, always saying that they had a chance. If another man was put in Washington’s place, the war would have ended differently. America would have remained a British colony, enslaved to its mother.

Also, without Washington, we would not have the democracy and balance of power that we have today. Washington refused to be made a king of America, instead choosing to become President, a just and fair ruler with limited power. The kings of Europe considered him to be a noble character, with no greed for power. He was also the one who set the precedent for a maximum of two terms as President, eliminating the chance of having one ruler for many years (except in FDR’s case). Washington proved himself to be the noblest of all Presidents, performing his duty in the name of freedom.

In conclusion, it is clearly evident that the absence of George Washington in American history would impact many important events in the chapters of our nation. George Washington is truly an exceptional human being, who took the interests of his fellow people in order to make the foundations of our country today. Without his major contributions to American history, many things in our society would cease to exist. George Washington should be thanked for his accomplishments, in the name of liberty and American pride.