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George Washington was
born February 22, 1732.
George Washington was
the military leader of
the American Revolution
and the first president
of the United States of
America. He took his
oath of office as the
President of the United
States on April 30,
1789.
The birthday of
George Washington has
been a legal holiday
since 1885. It was
originally celebrated
each February 22. In 1968, legislation
(HR 15951) was enacted
that affected several
federal holidays. One of
these was Washington's
Birthday, the
observation of which was
shifted to the third
Monday in February each
year whether or not it
fell on the 22nd. This
act was designed to
simplify the yearly
calendar of holidays.
In 1971 President
Richard Nixon proclaimed
the third Monday of
February to be a federal
holiday. Although
popularly known as
Presidents' Day,
according to federal law
it is the official
observance of
Washington's Birthday.
Because a number of
states (but not the
federal government) also
officially celebrate the
February 12th
birthday of Abraham
Lincoln, many Americans
have come to believe --
incorrectly -- that the
third Monday of February
is a consolidated "Presidents'
Day" honoring both
Washington and Lincoln,
and indeed all U.S.
presidents.
In 1976, Congress
posthumously promoted
Washington to the rank
of six-star general of
the armies, assuring
that he would continue
to outrank all other
members of the military,
now and in the future.
George Washington
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