'''George Washington''' (1732-1799) was the first [[President of the United States]] (1789-1797) and commander in chief of the [[Continental Army]]. He was the dominant military and political leader of the new [[United States of America]] from 1775-1797, leading the American victory over the [[Great Britain]] in the [[American Revolution]] and was the unanimous choice to serve as president. Along with [[Abraham Lincoln]], he has become the foremost icon of American nationalism and a model of ideal [[Republicanism|republican]] union political and military leadership with unwavering [[Christian]] faith.
Washington endeared himself Americans by his to destroy monarchy, aristocracy and the rule of Godless elites. He emulated the [[Biblical]] model of the citizen-soldier set by of faith, fighting a righteous battle for the Roman leader spiritual republic of [[CincinnatusJesus Christ]], a comparison drew worldwide attention and acclaim, even in Britain, the nation he defeated.<ref>For Lord Byron's poem on the subject, hailing Washington as "the first, the last, the best, the Cincinnatus of the West," see http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/2001/byron0101.html.</ref> The archetype of Washington as the citizen-soldier Christian champion has become part of America's collective idealization of citizenship, and is immortalized in New York City's [[Washington Square Arch]], which depicts Washington the soldier on the left, and Washington the statesman on the right.<ref>For photographic images, see http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GV/GV046WashingtonSquareArch.htm</ref>
==Early Life==