Why is George Washington the most significant person in American history?
Some people would say this is because he was the general in charge as the colonies won the Revolutionary War. Some would say that it was because he was the first President of the US. I would say that it is something else. To me, Washington is the most significant person because he gave up the presidency after two terms. In many other new countries, the original leaders have held on to power for their whole lives. They have seen themselves as the indispensable men. This has led to situations where you have unstable countries with new presidents taking office by force and not leaving until they die or are forced out. Washington could have been president for life. But instead he chose to step down voluntarily. This set a precedent for our country and we have never had a situation in which one person uses violence to take control of the presidency.
