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Happy Birthday To Two Special Presidents! George Washington and Abraham Lincoln!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Homes Arizona Real Estate LLC

I cannot think of two presidents who deserve a holiday that we celebrate in their name more than George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

I am a HUGE FAN of these two American Presidents and the historical differences they each made for God Bless Americathose of us living in the United States of America. I've read about the American Revolutionary War and about George Washington's heroic representation of the American soldiers. He stood "by" them, fought "with" them, and was a major part of overcoming the British in order that America could be independent from any other nation.

George WashingtonI've included some excerpts from Wikipedia so that those of you who would like to know more can find out just what George Washington did for our country:

George Washington (February 22, 1732[1][2][3] – December 14, 1799) led the Continental Army to victory over the Kingdom of Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) and served as the first President of the United States of America (1789–1797).[4]

The Continental Congress appointed Washington commander-in-chief of the American revolutionary forces in 1775. The following year, he forced the British out of Boston, lost New York City, and crossed the Delaware River in New Jersey, defeating the surprised enemy units later that year. As a result of his strategy, Revolutionary forces captured the two main British combat armies at Saratoga and Yorktown. Negotiating with Congress, the colonial states, and French allies, he held together a tenuous army and a fragile nation amid the threats of disintegration and failure. Following the end of the war in 1783, Washington returned to private life and retired to his plantation at Mount Vernon, prompting an incredulous King George III to state, "If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world."[5][6]

He presided over the Philadelphia Convention that drafted the United States Constitution in 1787 because of general dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation. Washington became President of the United States in 1789 and established many of the customs and usages of the new government's executive department. He sought to create a great nation capable of surviving in a world torn asunder by war between Britain and France. His unilateral Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793 provided a basis for avoiding any involvement in foreign conflicts. He supported plans to build a strong central government by funding the national debt, implementing an effective tax system, and creating a national bank. Washington avoided the temptation of war and began a decade of peace with Britain via the Jay Treaty in 1795; he used his prestige to get it ratified over intense opposition from the Jeffersonians. Although never officially joining the Federalist Party, he supported its programs and was its inspirational leader. Washington's farewell address was a primer on republican virtue and a stern warning against partisanship, sectionalism, and involvement in foreign wars.

Washington is seen as a symbol of the United States and republicanism in practice.[7] His devotion to civic virtue made him an exemplary figure among early American politicians.[7][8]

Washington was awarded the very first Congressional Gold Medal with the Thanks of Congress.[9]

Washington died in 1799, and the funeral oration delivered by Henry Lee stated that of all Americans, he was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."[10] Washington has been consistently ranked by scholars as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents.

 

Abraham Lincoln, is the other President whose birthday we celebrate once a year. What better tribute Abraham Llincolncould we make than to celebrate and honor these two wonderful men. May I say? What a difference in the integrity and honesty in these men compared to those who lead our country in these days.

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States. He successfully led the country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery. As the war was drawing to a close, Lincoln became the first American president to be assassinated. Before his election in 1860 as the first Republican president, Lincoln had been a lawyer, an Illinois state legislator, a member of the United States House of Representatives, and twice an unsuccessful candidate for election to the U.S. Senate.

As an outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery in the United States,[1][2] Lincoln won the Republican Party nomination in 1860 and was elected president later that year. His tenure in office was occupied primarily with the defeat of the secessionist Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. He introduced measures that resulted in the abolition of slavery, issuing his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and promoting the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which passed Congress before Lincoln's death and was ratified by the states later in 1865.

Lincoln closely supervised the victorious war effort, especially the selection of top generals, including Ulysses S. Grant. Historians have concluded that he handled the factions of the Republican Party well, bringing leaders of each faction into his cabinet and forcing them to cooperate. Lincoln successfully defused the Trent Affair, a war scare with Britain in 1861. Under his leadership, the Union took control of the border slave states at the start of the war. Additionally, he managed his own reelection in the 1864 presidential election.

Opponents of the war (also known as Copperheads) criticized Lincoln for refusing to compromise on the slavery issue. Conversely, the Radical Republicans, an abolitionist faction of the Republican Party, criticized him for moving too slowly in abolishing slavery. Even with these road blocks, Lincoln successfully rallied public opinion through his rhetoric and speeches; his Gettysburg Address is but one example of this. At the close of the war, Lincoln held a moderate view of Reconstruction, seeking to speedily reunite the nation through a policy of generous reconciliation, a position his successor in the White House, Andrew Johnson, also took. His assassination in 1865 was the first presidential assassination in U.S. history. He has since consistently been ranked by scholars as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents.[3]

 

Pepper

Mesa, Arizona Real Estate. Call me at: 480.216-3334 for information on purchasing or selling a home in Mesa, Arizona or surrounding towns. OR email me: Teri@TeriEllis.com. Feel free to visit one of my websites: HomesAzRE.com, MoveToMesaAz.com or MoveToSunnyAz.com. Or stop by my blogs at: MesaAzRealEstateVoice; or Phoenix Valley Real Estate Blog

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Comments (9)

Audrey June-Forshey
RE/MAX Realty Services - Darnestown, MD
GRI, Gaithersburg, MD

Teri, Wow, you did a ton of work on this  post.  It is wonderful.  One of my favorite things  about living in the DC area is going to Mt Vernon.  Also, the Ford's theatre has been remodeled and they just had a big to do there reinacting the assination and everything.  I have not made it there yet, but look forward to going.

Feb 16, 2009 01:55 PM
Lizette Fitzpatrick
Lizette Realty - Richmond KY - Lexington, KY
Lizette Realty, Lexington KY MLS - Kentucky Homes

Hi Teri! Lincoln was a Kentucky boy! Lots of history here about him and his wife's home was in Lexington.

Feb 16, 2009 02:17 PM
Randy Hooker
Dreamcatcher Realty / Greater Phoenix Area - Gilbert, AZ
Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek

Holy smoke, Teri ~ it's gonna take me a hiwle to check out all of your reference links. But what an honoring post this was, and your passion for those two illustrious leaders is inspiring! Very nice indeed.

Randy Hooker - Dreamcatcher Realty - Arizona Real Estate

Feb 16, 2009 05:19 PM
Terry & Bonnie Westbrook
Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner - Grand Rapids, MI
Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re

Politicians like these men are rare where are they today?

Feb 17, 2009 04:04 AM
Mesa, Arizona Real Estate Mesa Arizona Realtor
Homes Arizona Real Estate LLC - Mesa, AZ
AzLadyInRed

Audrey, not so much - BUT I am extremely passionate about these presidents and our country. ;-)

Lizette, yes he was. I love American history....

Randy, thank you so much. Just take a bite at a time. Lots of great links from which to choose. ;-)

Terry, if there are any around, they need to be at the head of our country now. What these men did for our country - amazing. They must be turning over in their graves at the state of affairs our country is in now. ;-)

Pepper

 

Feb 17, 2009 01:04 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Hi Teri!  I KNEW I liked you--I love patriotism and what a wonderful display of that here--you did an amazing job researching this post and deserve DOUBLE credit for all of the work and passion that you so obviously put into it!  And, as you said--I'm sure that neither would be pleased at all with what is going on in America right now. 

Debe in Charlotte

Feb 17, 2009 02:35 PM
Sheldon Neal
Bergen County, NJ - RE/MAX Real Estate Limited - Maywood, NJ
That British Agent Bergen County NJ

Wow ! What a patriotic post !! ... so in depth ... great new info for a foreigner like me :o)

Feb 17, 2009 02:49 PM
Mesa, Arizona Real Estate Mesa Arizona Realtor
Homes Arizona Real Estate LLC - Mesa, AZ
AzLadyInRed

Debe, isn't America wonderful....? Can you imagine how they would feel? ;-(

Sheldon, thank you. Hope you learned a bunch..;-)

Pepper

Feb 17, 2009 03:42 PM
Raine Nordby
Colorado Springs, CO

Nice blog Teri. I gathered a couple presidentail facts too. Come take a look :) http://activerain.com/blogsview/935704/Honor-our-Presidents-Day

It's a good life!

~Raine

Feb 17, 2009 03:50 PM