PRESIDENT’S DAY

Remembering George Washington and Abraham Lincoln

The Top TWO Presidents

The Symbols of the Presidency

•

George Washington

• FIRST President• Set the “standard” and

rules for the presidency.

• First to voluntarily surrender power

George Washington – Rebel?

• Richest man in the colony of Virginia and in the top 5 richest in America.

• Why would he choose to throw that all away by fighting the most powerful country on earth? (England)

George Washington – Commander of the Continental Army

• Dealt with not enough ammunition, food, shelter, or money.

• Dealt with defections.• After the war the

Continental Congress – owed two years of pay to all the army.

Congress acts on the problem

• DISBANDS the army.– After all, they aren’t

“needed” anymore.

– They’d “pay up in the future.”

The Army’s Reaction???

• Go to Philadelphia!

George Washington’s First Act of Giving Up Power

• Convinced his officers not to start a rebellion.

• Voluntarily gave up power.

• Had NEVER been done in history!

• Rule of Law – even if not a good one.

Washington as First President

• Had to establish what the powers of the office would be.

• Had to establish the “traditions” of being Mr. President.– “His Excellency”?– “His Temporary

Majesty”?– Uniform or not?

George Washington’s SECOND act of voluntarily surrendering power

• Giving up the presidency. – Walked away from

power.

– NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE!

Abraham Lincoln’s LegacyBBuilt the Republican Party.FFreed the slaves.FFought the Civil WarRReminded people that we were a country “by the people, of the people and for the people.”KKept the Constitution intact.

Abraham Lincoln

• One of the founders of the Republican Party– A “one issue” party in

1856 – end slavery.– Lincoln made the party

mean more than just Abolition of Slavery.

– Made it mean Federalism.

– Made us think of our selves as Americans.

Abraham Lincoln

• Freed people of color.• 15 Presidents before

had not been able or willing to do that!– A couple presidents

after didn’t like Lincoln’s actions, either!

– 4 million men, women and children freed.

Any President’s nightmare: Civil War

• Abraham Lincoln faced a nation at war.

• Did not give in or give up.

• Did not throw out the Constitution and become a dictator.

The Civil War

• Worst war for the United States.

• 700,000 dead Americans between 1861 – 1865.

Lincoln’s Vision

• Followed the Constitution the best he could.

• Never removed the rebel states from the American flag.

• Continued Washington DC as the capitol.

Lincoln’s Legacy

• Never has a president faced the problems that Abraham Lincoln did.

• He is the “Gold Standard” for all presidents since to measure themselves against.

President’s Day!