George Washington established many of the precedents for U.S. presidents, while Abraham Lincoln embodied the American rags-to-riches ideal, say two West Virginia University professors who are authorities on the nations first and 16th presidents.

Washington, who was born Feb. 22, 1732, served as general of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and as the nations first president from 1789-97. Lincoln, who was born Feb. 12, 1809, in a log cabin in Kentucky, served as president from 1861-65 during the American Civil War and was assassinated while in office.

The two leadersbirthdays were national holidays until 1971, when President Richard Nixon proclaimed the third Monday in February as PresidentsDay to honor them and other past U.S. presidents. This year, PresidentsDay falls on Monday, Feb. 18.

Matt Rhoades, an American history professor at WVU at Parkersburg, said many of the customs associated with the American presidency go back to Washington.

“He established many of the precedents we have for presidents, including the custom of sitting for only two terms and establishing how presidents deal with Congress,”said Rhoades, who came to the Parkersburg campus two years ago after obtaining his doctorate in early American history from Syracuse University.

“Washington established a really important precedent on foreign policy by focusing more on building up the country than establishing foreign alliances,”he added.”Our first formal alliance was with France early in the countrys history, and our second formal alliance wasnt until 1949 with NATO .”

Washington was also a capable military leader, Rhoades said.

“There have certainly been greater military commanders, but I think he did the best he could with what he had, and that was more important,”he said.

Lincoln, meanwhile, exemplifies the American ideal that people can overcome obstacles if they apply themselves, said Forest Bowman, a College of Law professor who has spent most of his life studying the life and death of the president.

“He is the prototypical American who rose from abject poverty to the highest office in the land,”Bowman said.”Self-taught, he was one of the greatest writers among our presidents. He understood the structure of language and the cadence of the King James Bible. His second inaugural address is pure poetry.”

As fascinating a story as Lincolns life is, his death is equally compelling, Bowman added. Lincoln was assassinated at Fords Theater in Washington, D.C., by actor and Southern sympathizer John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865five days after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, ending the nations bloodiest conflict.

“His assassination is a great murder mystery,”said Bowman, who has written articles on the subject, including one that appeared in a book published by the University of Richmond College of Law.

(NOTE: Rhoades and Bowman are available to speak to media. Rhoades can be reached at 304-424-8329; Bowman, at 304-293-7081.)