Link: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/presidentsday/

George Washington is fondly known as The Father of Our Country. He was involved in drafting the Declaration of Independence which was signed July 4, 1776. As Commander in Chief of the Contenental Army, he valiently led his troops to victory and our country to freedom from Great Britain. Loved by his new countrymen, Washington was elected as our first president. He is known for his patriatism, honesty, widom, courage and strength of character. Born on February 22, 1732, this day became known as Washington's Birthday in 1796 while he served in his last year as president. This holiday was not officially observed until 1832.

Follow up:

Abraham Lincoln, born on February 12, 1809, is another U.S. president that has been revered by Americans. Despite his humble beginnings, he became the 16th president of the U.S. on March 4, 1861. He led the Union during the turbulent years when our country was divided by civil war. He became known as The Great Emancipator after freeing African-Americans from slavery and is affectionately remembered as Honest Abe. He had a thirst for knowledge and as a child walked many miles in order to attend the only school in the area, completed his homework by candlelight and worked his math on the back of a shovel. Lincoln's birthday was first celebrated in 1865, a year after he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. His birthday was not a federal holiday; however, many states did adopt it as a legal holiday.

In order to create three-day weekend holidays, Congress passed legislation in 1968 which placed all federal holidays on a Monday. It was President Richard Nixon, in 1971, who combined Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays into President's Day to be celebrated on the third Monday in Februrary.