General George Washington, on 4 Feb 1777, personally commissioned and issued orders to Nathaniel Sackett to build a network to gather early warning on British plans.

A year later, that vision evolved into what we now call the Culper Spy Ring, one of the most successful… pic.twitter.com/8lnpmgrW6K

— History Dame (@history_dame) February 4, 2026

#OTD in #history 1789, #GeorgeWashington was elected our 1st #POTUS. He led the #USA to independence; then forewent the chance to be king. Americans therefore elected him to our highest office because, as @KenBurns put it, “he understood that the actual highest office is citizen” pic.twitter.com/73kIb9Odxr

— US Capitol Historical Society (@CapitolHistory) February 4, 2026