You could say that America’s presidents have defined our country. Whether in crisis or during boom times, the person at the helm of the ship of state has an enormous responsibility and impact. Today we celebrate Presidents Day, the day to commemorate George Washington’s birthday and also Abraham Lincoln’s. It has become a time to honor the office, our nation’s history and patriotism.

Presidential scholars emphasize that no other job can quite compare to that of the leader of the free world. Former President Obama once called himself the most powerful man in the world, and he was not exaggerating.

Throughout America’s history, the role of president has been crucial. George Washington was our first president and led the colonies into a war with Great Britain. He has become a symbol of character and leadership, someone who was supposedly unable to tell a lie. Washington was the only candidate unanimously elected president of the United States, twice. He never lived in the White House but oversaw its design and that of the Capitol Building. He founded the Navy, the State Department and the Supreme Court. His legacy endures today.

Abraham Lincoln also has a powerful legacy. From humble beginnings, he was an orator, a circuit court judge, practiced law and would be a wartime president. Lincoln led the country during the Civil War and was the first president to be assassinated. He had a key role in passing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which freed the slaves. He is probably best known for his inspirational Gettysburg Address. At his deathbed, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton is said to have offered an appropriate epitaph: “Now he belongs to the ages.”

Read more at The Colorado Springs Gazette.