George Washington (1732-1799) was a central, critical figure in the founding of the United States, as well as the nation's first president (1789-1797), after leading the Continental Army to victory over the Kingdom of Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Washington was seen as symbolizing the new nation and republicanism in practice. His devotion to civic virtue made him an exemplary figure among early American politicians. During Washington's funeral oration, Henry Lee said that of all Americans, he was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen" Scholars consistently rank him, together with Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt, as one of the top three U. S. Presidents.