George Washington became commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in 1775, a role central to the Revolutionary War remembered by America250.
The Second Continental Congress appointed Washington on June 19, 1775, shortly after fighting began at Lexington and Concord. Congress chose him partly because he was an experienced Virginia military leader and partly because placing a Virginian in command could strengthen colonial unity.
Washington led the army through major crises, including the difficult winter at Valley Forge and the British campaign in the South. His leadership helped sustain the revolutionary cause until the American victory at Yorktown in 1781.
Washington did not become president during the Revolution. He served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797, after the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation.