John's ESL Holidays: President's Day

On the third Monday of February the United States honors all of its presidents; but, originally President's Day was set aside as a day to celebrate the birthdays of two great American presidents: Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.

George Washington, who was born on February 22, 1732, was the first elected president of the United States. As the "Father of His Country" Washington help shape the United States in several very important ways. First, he served as the commander in chief of the Continental Army that fought for, and won, independence for the 13 original colonies from Great Britain in the Revolutionary War. Secondly, Washington served as president of the Constitutional Convention that wrote the Constitution of the United States.

Washington is the only president in the history of the U.S. to be elected president by unanimous vote. He served two terms and declined a third. George Washington died on December 14, 1799 at the age of 67. One popular legend about Washington says that as a boy he chopped down his father's cherry tree. When his father questioned him about it, he admitted to the wrongdoing and said "I cannot tell a lie."

Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States and is credited with keeping the U.S. together as one country. Lincoln was president during the difficult time in America's history known as the Civil War. Just before Lincoln began his term as president, seven southern states broke away from the United States and started their own country. This new country was known as the Confederate States of America. President Lincoln was able to end the conflict and reunite the country.

Lincoln is also responsible for ending slavery in the United States. In his famous speech, The Gettysburg Address, Lincoln expressed his views about equality and his belief that all men should be free. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in America. Two years later the 13th Amendment to the Constitution ended slavery in all parts of the United States.

President Lincoln was assassinated on April 19th, 1865 while watch a play in Ford's theater in Washington D.C.