Compare two United States Presidents and how they influenced the United States

George Washington & Abraham Lincoln

Michelle Michaels

Ken C. Hansen - History 1700-011

25 April 2017

Term Research Project Assignment

 Throughout history we have had many presidents, but we cannot say that one

single president was the best president over all the others. Each president played an

important part of our history and without each and every single president we wouldnt be

at the progress we are today. There are some presidents that we might think it would be

better if someone else took their place, as president during their term but no one is

perfect. In every situation, there are always things that couldve been better but we need

to take those times and learn from them. We as the people should learn from those

presidents who didnt accomplish all that they couldve and use this as a future reference

in electing and voting for future presidents. In order to be a successful president, the

person in question should most importantly have the ability to be a good leader, adapt and

make a decision fast, and look to what the people need rather than using the seat of

president to their own personal interest.

Two great presidents of the United States that we have all heard of are George

Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Washington cannot be said to have been a better

president than Lincoln and also Lincoln cannot be said to have been better than

Washington. The reason for this is because both presidents played an important role in the

development of our country and in helping us to be where we are today.

George Washington is now known as The Father of his Country but why is that?

What makes him so great to be given such a title? He proved to be a great leader in hero

in the war as well as through the time he served as president.

George Washington was born in 1732 to a family of plantation owners and was

raised as a farmer. In December 1752, Washington, who had no previous military

experience, was made a commander of the Virginia Militia.1 He was a farmer with no

past military experience but proved to be a great hero in the war and led the soldiers to

multiple victories because he was a leader. He was able to keep the men united as one and

motivate them to keep fighting and pushing forward. As the General of the

Revolutionary Army, Washingtons determination, leadership and refusal to give up made

the difference between victory and defeat on more than one occasion.2 Washington,

having his own personal experience in the hardships that were caused from the rising of

taxes from the English government, he knew it was time for America to officially declare

independence from England. He took what he was facing and knew many others were

also facing and used that as the reason to push for change. He didnt just look for his own

benefit but what was in the best interest for everyone and used that as his determination.

After the Declaration of Independence was signed, George Washington planned to

return to his life as a farmer but, in 1787, was asked to attend the Constitutional

Convention to draft the new Constitution. Because he showed impressive leadership

skills, the delegates decided he was the most qualified man to become the first president.1

Washington is an example of someone who wasnt looking to gain anything for himself

by becoming president. He actually wanted to leave the position of president to the

someone else, leave it up to the others to determine who, and return to his quiet life but

saw that it was in the best interest of the people if he did take the place as president.

Knowing that he was taking the place as the first president, meaning how he did

things would set the trend for future presidents he was careful that everything he did was

1 History.com Staff. George Washington.

2 Why is George Washington considered the Father of this nation?

in best interest for the people. In everything he did he wanted to be sure that the people

would benefit. In every situation he saw that could be improved, he looked for what

changes he could make to make the world a better place.

George Washington set up his own presidential cabinet and established the first

national bank. In choosing his cabinet members he chose people who were on opposite

sides to show diversity. Washington believed that divergent views were critical for the

health of the new government.1 The people asked if they should call him king but he

refused to be known as the king. He thought that by declaring independence America

shouldnt have a king because a king was looked at as someone above everyone else. As

president, he knew he didnt have total power over everything and looked to the

executive and legislative branch when passing laws. He wasnt going to be considered a

king because he recognized that he was just like all the other people. He wasnt superior

to them and should be called as if he was. He was the man who could have been a king

but refused a crown and saved a republic.3

After serving two terms, Washington returned to his home and life as a farmer.

Even though he was asked to serve longer as the president, he declined because he

believed that was all the time one president should serve in office. In his farewell address,

he urged the new nation to maintain the highest standards domestically and to keep

involvement with foreign powers to a minimum.1

George Washington set a lot of the rules and standards that are used today for the

presidents. Washingtons tenure in office set the nation on a path that has endured now

3 George Washington: Impact and Legacy.

for over 200 years, longer than any other republic in history. His actions, more than

those of any other Founding Father, became a part of the unwritten Constitution.3

Being reminded of all the things George Washington did for our country, he seemed to be

a pretty great president. But did you know, Abraham Lincoln is considered Americas

Greatest President? Again, how did he gain such high praise? Does this mean that the

other presidents such as George Washington are viewed as less than Lincoln? Or that

Lincoln is better than them? Each president contributes certain things and their own

views on how things should be. No president should be considered the best. But it should

be that all presidents who have good intentions and who use the seat of president as a

benefit for the people are considered a great president.

Even before Lincoln became president he proved to be a great leader and self-

motivator. Lincoln proved to be a shrewd military strategist and a savvy leader during

the bloodiest conflict ever fought on American soil.4 Abraham Lincoln also taught

himself law and passed the bar examination in 1836. During his time serving as a lawyer

he earned the reputation of being Honest Abe. 4

As president, Lincoln knew that ending slavery required patience, careful timing shrewd

calculations and an iron resolve.5 Because he understood what it took and was willing to

sacrifice anything in order to accomplish things, he was able to officially abolish slavery.

Lincoln believed, This government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half

free. 4 A house divided against itself cannot stand.6 He knew eventually the nation

4 History.com Staff. Abraham Lincoln.

5 Abraham Lincoln: Impact and Legacy.

6 Merry, Robert W. Americas Greatest President: Abraham Lincoln.

would either become completely free states or completely slave states. Lincoln pushed to

have equality for everyone and that meant abolishing slavery. Because Lincoln took this

action, seven southern states succeeded from the Union.4 His biggest worry wasnt what

people would think of him, but what was right and pushing that to the forefront, put that

into action, and make that happen.

In order to accomplish the things he did, Lincoln broke many laws. For Lincoln,

it made no sense to lose the nation and yet preserve the Constitution. 5 Even though his

highest priority wasnt to follow the Constitution, he didnt use this to his advantage and

say that he didnt need to follow the Constitution. He used it as a something to back him

up, saying, if there was ever a time that he had to make the decision to follow the

Constitution and let the nation fall or break a few laws and save the entire nation, he

would choose to save the nation without hesitation, no matter what it took.

Lincoln knew what needed to be done and he took action to make things happen.

Greatness is as greatness does. 6 His great achievement, historians tell us, was his

ability to energize and mobilize that nation by appealing to its bests ideals while acting

with malice towards none in the pursuit of a more perfect, more just, and more enduring

Union. No President in American history ever faced a greater crisis and no President ever

accomplished as much.5

He wasnt able to serve his full second term in office because he was shot and

killed at Fords Theatre by John Wilkes Booth. It would be interesting to know what other

things he mightve accomplished and what other things he planned to accomplish if he

was able to finish serving his time in office. Even though all presidents protect and serve
the country, it is said that Lincoln was the most profound and the things he did were the

most long lasting throughout history.

Presidents, Lincoln and Washington both made a huge impact on the United

States and helped us to be where we are today. George Washington at one point had a

plan to end slavery but backed down because of the position it would place him in with

many people. Does this make him any less of a great president? Even though it wouldve

been better if slavery was abolished during the time that he was president but he didnt

because he feared what people would think of him, he still helped to set a lot of the rules

and traditions we have today and there were many other great things that he did

accomplish.

Washington couldve done a lot more but we need to remember that he was kind

of in a tight position. The country was still trying to accept the changes that were

happening. If Washington wouldve gone forth with his original plan to abolish slavery I

dont think that people wouldve accepted the new plan to have a president. I think it

wouldve caused a lot of problems and we wouldnt be able to be at the point we are

today. If you present too much change all at once the only thing you do is cause chaos

and make things worse than they were before.

What would things have been like if Washington didnt become president and

decided he was going to live his quiet life like he wanted? At the time, all the men of the

Continental Congress knew that George Washington was the most qualified for this

position and the vote was unanimous. Many laws that were included in the Constitution

were only accepted among the people because they knew the type of person that George
Washington was and that he would be the one enforcing things and taking that power.

They knew he wouldnt use that power for himself but for the benefit of the people.

Knowing that each of the other men that were apart of the Continental Congress knew

that they themselves werent qualified for the power and authority of the presidency, its

scary to think what couldve happened if Washington didnt look for what was in best

interest of the nation and people, if he only though of himself and his own personal

wants.

Lincoln knew that abolishing slavery would cause many people to dislike him but

he knew that it needed to be done in order for our country to make the most progress that

we needed to. He is a great example of someone who pushes for what they know is right

even if they will be looked down on for doing this. He was willing to sacrifice

everything, including his very life, for the safety, protection, and equality of every person

in the nation.

If someone asked, would you rather have Washington as a president and all the

things he accomplished be fulfilled or Lincoln and the things he accomplished, whom

would you choose? You cant choose between the two because what they both

accomplished helped our nation to advance and become a better place for everyone in the

United States even today. One president couldnt have done what they did without the

others. If Lincoln didnt become president and/or didnt abolish slavery, think about

where the world would be today. Barack Obama couldve never became president and the

things he accomplished wouldve never happened or taken a lot longer to happen than

they did. If Washington didnt set the tradition of only having a president serve for two

terms, we mightve had a lot less presidents because a single president wouldve served
longer than they did. If we did have less than 45 presidents, which president would you

be willing to not have? Even if we might not be able to see how a certain president

benefited the people, they each helped us to take a step on the path we are on today.

Some say that a certain president didnt do any good for the people during their

time in office or that we wouldve been better off with a different president. That is just

our own personal opinion. We dont know exactly what wouldve happened if things

went differently because there are so many different options and things that come into

play there is no way we can predict exactly what will happen in the future. Because of the

presidents we have had, we should learn what it takes to be a good president, what

qualities a person should have who are looking to become president. We should use our

knowledge and experience from past times as a reference when voting for the next

presidents. Rather than criticizing past and present presidents, take what you see into

consideration and do what you can to not repeat the same mistake.

We may not always recognize all that the president is doing to benefit us or his

reasoning for doing certain things but we should recognize that if they are using the seat

as president for the benefit of the people rather than themselves in any way, we should be

thankful because we could be a lot worse off. Any president that has good intentions for

the people of the United States and who looks to the needs of the people should be

considered a great president. We wouldnt be where we are today without each and every

single president.

Bibliography
Abraham Lincoln: Impact and Legacy. Miller Center. Accessed April 24, 2017.

https://millercenter.org/president/lincoln/impact-and-legacy.

George Washington: Impact and Legacy. Miller Center. Accessed April 24, 2017.

https://millercenter.org/president/washington/impact-and-legacy.

History.com Staff. Abraham Lincoln. History.com. 2009 Accessed April 24, 2017.

http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/abraham-lincoln.

History.com Staff. George Washington. History.com. 2209. Accessed April 24, 2017.

http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/george-washington.

Merry, Robert W. Americas Greatest President: Abraham Lincoln. The National

Interest. May 24, 2015. Accessed April 24, 2017.

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/americas-greatest-president-abraham-lincoln-

12957.

Why is George Washington considered the Father of this nation? This Nation. Accessed

April 24, 2017. http://www.thisnation.com/question/017.html.