George Washington didn’t set out to rule a nation. He took command of an army with no money, no training, and no real support, knowing full well the odds were against them. He lost battles. He faced desertion. He fought Congress as much as the British. But he kept going.
At Trenton, he crossed an ice-choked river on Christmas night and caught the enemy off guard. At Princeton, he rode straight into retreating troops and turned the tide with nothing but resolve. He outlasted a brutal winter at Valley Forge and quieted calls to replace him. Even when supplies ran out and loyalty faltered, he never walked away.
When the war finally ended, the country held its breath. Some urged him to seize control. A few wanted to name him king. Washington chose something else. He returned his commission to Congress, held his shaking hand steady as he spoke, and stepped back from power.
Dr. Larry Arnn, President of Hillsdale College Hillsdale College, and bestselling author and historian Nathaniel Philbrick walk through the battles, the politics, and the choice that changed the course of history.
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