Father of his Country Title

As the general who led the colonies to independence from the rule of Great Britain and as the first President of the newly formed independent nation of the United States of America, it is no surprise that George Washington holds a very important place in the history of the U.S.A. However, to this day, Washington is known as the "Father of his country."

Since there were several other very influential men in the colonies at the time of its liberation from England, there must be a reason why, out of all of them, George Washington is the one who bears such a bold title. The first reason why George Washington holds this title in history is the fact that he did do much, tangibly, to free the colonies and establish a new sovereign nation in America. He was the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army and, therefore, was directly or indirectly responsible (or, at least, perceived to be responsible) for the eventual victory by the colonial army against the British. Also, he presided over the Constitutional Convention, serving as the convention's president. Not contributing much to the debates held during the Constitutional Convention, as the other Founding Fathers of America worked to write a Constitution for the new nation, George Washington's presence ensured that good compromises were reached between differing sides and that the convention made good time in reaching a final draft of their Constitution. Also, the fact that most colonials assumed that George Washington would become the first executive leader of the new nation led many to agree with and ratify the newly written Constitution. Finally, Washington's time in office as the first President of the United States led to the setting of multitude precedents to be followed not only by the future Presidents of the U.S. but also by other leaders in national politics. For example, Washington refused to honor the sentiments of certain citizens that he become a king-like figure. Instead, Washington rejected all semblances of royalty. This humble gesture endeared him to the public. Therefore, the second reason why George Washington is known as the "Father of his country" is that he stood for what is now considered to be truly "American." Besides publicly displaying grace and humility in every position of power and influence that he held in the colonies, Washington also espoused the ideals of liberty, justice, freedom, and individual dignity that are considered the foundation of the country of America. Finally, Washington displayed ambition, dedication, and perseverance. These traits were possessed by Americans from the time of the settlers who courageously advanced the borders of the United States all the way up until the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, where the "American dream" of prosperity was promised to those who worked hard and never gave up on their dreams.

Since George Washington play an key role in the formation of America, and since he displayed and promoted the qualities deemed by many after his time to be truly "American," it is only fitting to refer to him as the "Father of his country."