ABSTRACT
Two centuries after his death, George Washington remains one of the most recognized figures in all American history. His image is seen on our coins, currency and postage stamps. Politics is about the principles and purposes of human action, and political science must begin by understanding political actors. Political actors, Winston Churchill wrote, are "the stepping stones of historical narrative". A soldier by profession and a surveyor by trade, Washington was first and foremost a man of action. From 1775 onward, when the Continental Congress appointed him military commander of continental forces, Washington personified the American Revolution and was the de facto leader of the colonial struggle. That Washington was known for his good character was no accident. Washington's own life is a good example of an advice, as his was a constant striving to control his own passions and habituate qualities of good character.
