George Washington served as the first president of the United States from age 57 in 1789 to age 65 in 1797, but before that, he was known for his military leadership during the French and Indian ...

Though rarely honored these days exactly on Feb. 22, his actual birth date, “Presidents Day” is actually still Washington’s Birthday officially.

Like the other Founding Fathers, George Washington was uneasy about the idea of publicly celebrating his life. He was the first leader of a new republic, not a king.

The United States began celebrating its first president when he was still a general. Nearly 300 years since George Washington’s birth, the holiday has morphed into a celebration of the presidency.

Statue of George Washington Tetra Images / Getty Images The dawn of American democracy didn’t take place in 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence.