General Washington - A True Leader Blake Masters

Throughout the American Revolution, John Adams often humbly remarked, "We are ordinary men living in extraordinary times." Due to his modest nature, Mr. Adams most likely believed his statement to be true. However, I must disagree with Mr. Adams. The Founding Fathers were not ordinary men, but extraordinary men. Furthermore, a convincing case can be made that General George Washington was the most extraordinary of them all.

If one were to look up the definition of leadership in a dictionary and then meticulously compare it to the character of George Washington, I am confident that not a single legitimate contrast could be made. Being a leader, however, means much more than ostensibly conforming to some lexicon's definition. One cannot be a leader because he fits a certain stereotype; true leadership is defined only in the hearts and minds of followers. Using this criterion to evaluate leadership, one would be hard-pressed to cite a better or more effective leader than George Washington.

George Washington's role as a leader was established long before the Revolutionary War. As a Major in the Virginia Militia, Washington fought valiantly and bravely in the French and Indian War. He was by no means perfect or...