 | George Washington: Encyclopedia II - George Washington - After his death
George Washington - After his death
Congressman Henry Light Horse Harry Lee, a Revolutionary War comrade, famously eulogized Washington as "a citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
Washington set many precedents that established tranquility in the presidential office in the years to come. His choice to peacefully relinquish the presidency to John Adams, after serving two terms in office, is seen as one of Washington's most important legacies.
He was also lauded posthumously as the "Father of His Country" and is often considered to be the most important of Founding Fathers of the United States. He has gained fame around the world as a quintessential example of a benevolent national founder. Americans often refer to men in other nations considered the Father of their Country as "the George Washington of his nation" (for example, Mahatma Gandhi's role in India).
Washington was ranked #26 in Michael H. Hart's list of the most influential figures in history. He is generally regarded by historians as one of the greatest presidents.
Even though he had been the highest-ranking officer of the Revolutionary War, having in 1798 been appointed a Lieutenant General (now three stars), it seemed, somewhat incongruously, that all later full (that is, four star) generals in U.S. history (starting with General Ulysses S. Grant), and also all five-star generals of the Army, were considered to outrank Washington. General John J. Pershing had attained an even higher rank of six-star general, General of the Armies (above five star—though the most stars Pershing actually ever wore were four). This issue was resolved in 1976 when Washington was, by act of Congress, posthumously promoted to the rank of General of the Armies, outranking any past, present, and future general, and declared to permanently be the top-ranked military officer of the United States.
George Washington - Monuments and memorials
Today Washington's face and image are often used as national symbols of the United States, along with the icons such as the flag and great seal. Perhaps the most pervasive commemoration of his legacy is the use of his image on the one dollar bill and the quarter-dollar coin. The image used on the dollar bill is derived from a famous portrait of him painted by Gilbert Stuart, itself one of the most notable works of early American art.
Because of Washington's involvement in Freemasonry, some publicly visible collections of Washington memorabilia are maintained by Masonic lodges, most notably the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. The museum at Fraunces Tavern Museum in New York City includes specimens of Washington's false teeth (contrary to the widespread myth, they were not wooden - see the trivia section below).
The capital city of the United States, Washington, D.C., is named for him. The District of Columbia was created by an Act of Congress in 1790, and Washington was deeply involved in its creation, including choosing the site for the White House. The Washington Monument, one of the most well-known landmarks in the city, was built in his honor. The George Washington University, also in D.C., was named after him, and it was founded in part with shares Washington bequeathed to an endowment to create a national university in Washington.
The only state named for a president is the state of Washington in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
Washington selected West Point, New York, as the site for the United States Military Academy. The United States Navy has named three ships after Washington; the one currently serving is a Nimitz Class nuclear powered aircraft carrier, commissioned on July 4, 1992.
Other examples include the George Washington Bridge, which extends between New York City and New Jersey, and the palm tree genus Washingtonia is also named after him.
See also: List of places named for George Washington
George Washington - Summary of military career
- 1753: Commissioned a Major in the Virginia Militia
- 1754: Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Virginia Militia
- 1754: Led abortive expedition to Fort Duquesne, later served as aide to General Edward Braddock
- 1755: Promoted to Colonel and named Commander of all Virginia Forces. Commissioned a Brigadier General later that year
- 1759–75: Resigned from active military service
- June 1775: Commissioned General and Commander in Chief of the Continental Army
- 1775–81: Commands the Continental Army in over seven major battles with the British
- December 1783: Resigns commission as Commander in Chief of the Army
- July 1798: Appointed Lieutenant General and Commander of the Provisional Army to be raised in the event of a war with France
- 14 December 1799: Dies and is listed as a Lieutenant General (r) on the U.S. Army rolls
- 19 January 1976: Approved by the United States Congress for promotion to General of the Armies
- 11 October 1976: Declared the senior most U.S. military officer for all time by Presidential Order of Gerald Ford
- 13 March 1978: Promoted by Army Order 31-3 to General of the Armies with effective date of rank July 4, 1776.
Other related archives"Father of his Country", "Jumonville affair", 11 October, 13 March, 14 December, 1731, 1732, 1743, 1752, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778, 1783, 1789, 1799, 19 January, 1976, 1978, 1992, 22nd Amendement, Abraham, Abraham Lincoln, Act of Congress, Alexander Hamilton, Alexandria, American Indian, American Indians, American Revolution, American Revolutionary War, Annapolis, Annunciation, April 12, August 22, August 25, Augustine Washington, Bank Act of 1791, Barbados, Baron Friedrich von Steuben, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Fallen Timbers, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Long Island, Battle of Monmouth, Battle of Trenton, Battle of the Monongahela, Boston, Braddock Expedition, Brigadier General, British, British Army, British Empire, British evacuated New York City, Burgoyne, Canada, Charles Cornwallis, Chief Justice, Chief Justice of the United States, Christian, Church of England, Cincinnatus, Coinage Act of 1792, College of William and Mary, Colonel, Colonial Beach, Commander-in-Chief, Congress, Constitution, Constitutional Convention, Continental Army, Continental Congress, December 14, December 23, December 25, December 4, Deist, Delaware River, District of Columbia, Dorchester Heights, Edmond-Charles Genêt, Edward Braddock, Electoral College, England, Ensign Jumonville, Fairfax County, Famous military commanders, Father of His Country, Father of their Country, February 11, February 22, February 4, Federal Constitution, Federalist Party, Federalist party, Ferry Farm, First Lady, First U.S. Congress, Forbes Expedition, Fort Duquesne, Fort Necessity, Founding Fathers, Founding Fathers of the United States, Framers, France, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Fraunces Tavern, Fraunces Tavern Museum, Fredericksburg, Freemason, Freemasons, French Canadian, French Guiana, French and Indian War, Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, General Robert E. 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