Throughout America's long history, there have been 42 great men who served as president of this nation. However, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson have emerged as the "Greatest of the Great." Each served as president during a time of great change and hardship in American History from the founding of the nation to World War II.
Some view George Washington as one of the greatest men to have ever lived. He was the father of the United States and helped the country in its struggle for freedom. Before he became president, he served as a lieutenant colonel and then later the commander in chief of the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War. He later became a member of the House of Burgesses and led the Virginian opposition to British policy in the colonies. As the Revolutionary War broke out, Washington became the Commander in Chief of the Continental Congress. With poorly trained men and few supplies, he was finally able to defeat the British in the Battle of Yorktown and gain independence for the colonies. After the war, Washington was unhappy with the Articles of the Confederation and took steps to bring about the ratification of the Constitution. In 1787 when the Constitution was ratified, Washington was unanimously elected President. Washington chose to remain neutral in conflicts between other nations, as to build up the power of the newly established nation. He also shunned the evolution of the two party system and regional separation.
Abraham Lincoln served as the nation's 16th President during one of the bloodiest wars in American history, the Civil War. While growing up, Lincoln had a great thirst for knowledge. He served as a captain during the Black Hawk War, a legislator in Illinois, and a judge. In 1858, Lincoln ran for the office of senator, but lost. However, in the process, he gained a national reputation and was selected as the Republican candidate for President in 1860.