Over the past forty years, historians have rated George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as two of our nation's greatest presidents. Over the course of their presidencies, it is clear, each man proved himself a capable and respected leader; however their greatness may be measured by means beyond their knowledge of law and politics. When evaluating the greatness of a president, it is necessary to take into account their overall historical impact, their ability to guide a nation through hard times, and the success with which they carried out their plans to improve the nation. Also taken into consideration should be a president's ability to maintain a steadfast commitment to the office they hold, displayed by a never faltering belief in their convictions for the bettering of the nation. In these respects, Washington and Lincoln should very well be considered two of our greatest presidents.

George Washington came into...