“Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of Action; and bidding an Affectionate farewell to this August body under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my Commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life. (Address to Congress on Resigning Commission Dec 23, 1783)”

American statesman and military leader

George Washington was an American statesman and military leader who lived from 1732 to 1799. He was the first president of the United States and is widely known as the Father of His Country. Washington led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War and later served as president from 1789 to 1797. He remains a central figure in the founding of the United States, associated with independence, leadership, and the creation of the new republic.