On Christmas night, 1776, George Washington led an army of 2,400 across the Delaware River. George Washington’s men and cannons crossed the icy river in rowboats and began the march towards Trenton in a freezing storm.  After reaching the outskirts of Trenton, the Continental Army, launched an unexpected attack on the 1400 Hessian defenders.  The troops overwhelmed the drunken German mercenaries and quickly surrounded almost all of Trenton.  Although it was the first major U.S. victory in the Revolutionary war, it was a significant one.  It proved to the American people that the Continental army were capable of victory and worthy of support.

http://www.mountvernon.org/educational-resources/encyclopedia/battle-trenton

To me this painting is timeless because it shows the different people of different colonies uniting and their persistence to win, even with the difficult obstacles they had to face.  The Continental army lacked supplies, had less advanced military weapons, and had fewer soldiers.  With the leadership of George Washington, the U.S. came out victorious against the stronger British Empire.  Even though the painting shows all of the troops, I feel like George Washington is glorified in this painting as a hero, as he should be. George Washington clearly stands out in the painting with his chest out and unwavering confidence.  He was not only a great and successful military general; he also helped lay the foundation for the United States, serving two times as president.  In my opinion, George Washington, is one of the greatest leaders in world history.  

Who do you think demonstrates great leadership in American history?