Happy Birthday to George Washington. George Washington, who rode into hails of bullets, had two horses shot out from underneath him, and would wear his coat laced with the bulletholes when he spoke to inspire his men. George Washington, who native chiefs declared “divinely protected” during and for decades after the French and Indian War. George Washington, who once left a portrait painting to go throw a discus clear across the Delaware River just because his men joked that he couldn’t. George Washington, who could out drink, out dance, out ride, and out fight any human being. George Washington, who stood a towering 6’2, and could have become multi-sport competitive athlete today, in any throwing game, plus archery, wrestling, and sword fighting George Washington, who referred to Christmas dinner as “the attack of the Christmas Pies” George Washington, a largely self taught scholar, and military genius. George Washington, who survived diphtheria, tuberculosis, smallpox, dysentery, malaria, quinsy, carbuncle, epiglottitis, and pneumonia. George Washington who brought variolation to his troops when a smallpox epidemic was wiping out 30% of the country. Yet he still respected natural immunity. George Washington, who crossed the frozen Delaware on Christmas night to slay the Hession mercenaries in their sleep. George Washington, a spy ring leader, agricultural innovator, pioneer, one of the first surveyors of America and the first signer of the U.S. Constitution. George Washington, who on December 23, 1783, in the Old Senate Chamber in Annapolis, with the war over and independence won, bowed to Congress, publicly resigned from the Army, and physically handed back his commission. George Washington, who declared at the first constitutional convention, “no new slaves to America at all, And No Slavery at all in the northwest territory.” George Washington, who was unanimously elected president twice. George Washington, who established The first national “Thanksgiving Day,” to be celebrated on November 26, 1789, as a way of “‘giving thanks’ for the Constitution,” George Washington, one of six redheaded presidents George Washington, who granted Amnesty to the Whiskey Rebels, and never once abused his power. George Washington, who refused to be president forever and retired to make whiskey. George Washington, who gave the greatest farewell address in the history of our nation, which warned Americans against the danger of political parties, implored us to remain neutral in foreign conflicts, make no permanent alliances, and to celebrate our achievements. “First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen.” -Richard Henry Lee’s eulogy for Washington 1799 George Washington, the picture of American exceptionalism.