George Washington was a person.
George Washington ( [ ˈdʒɔɹdʒ_ˈwɒʃɪŋtən ] -- , 1799 ) was an American politician and soldier who served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States . After victory had been finalized in 1783 , Washington resigned as commander-in-chief rather than seize power , proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism . Following his election as president in 1789 , he worked to unify rival factions in the fledgling nation .