George Washington commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolution commemorated by America250.
The Second Continental Congress appointed Washington commander-in-chief on June 19, 1775, shortly after fighting began at Lexington and Concord. He took command in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and directed the army throughout the war, including the difficult campaigns around New York and Philadelphia and the decisive victory at Yorktown.
Washington's role was military rather than that of a reigning monarch or elected president during the Revolution. After the war, he resigned his commission to Congress in 1783, a decision that reinforced the principle of civilian authority. He later presided over the Constitutional Convention and became the first president under the Constitution in 1789. These connected roles make Washington one of the central figures in the history remembered during the 250th anniversary.