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Perhaps the most famous "Father of the Nation" is the American revolutionary general and first president of the United States, George Washington. Washington's image as a national icon of pride and leadership has become almost a cliché to the point where other countries even sometimes refer to their own independence leaders as "our George Washington."

While many states have held a 'father of the nation' in continuing high respect since their founding, others have adopted and then abandoned some numerous figures throughout their history. Joseph Stalin was seen by millions during his period of control in the Soviet Union as the national father-figure, an image augmented deliberately by images released of him in the pose of a father or grandfather patting children on their head. Such was his esteem that a wave of suicides was recorded when his death was announced, with people suggesting that life without Stalin to guide them was unthinkable. Within a few years however, when his successors revealed the truth about Stalin's reign of terror, his popularity plummeted and his body was removed from the mausoleum where it had been laid alongside Lenin.

In IrelandThe Republic of Ireland ( Irish: Poblacht na hEireann is the common term for a state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of northwest Europe. It is the western-most state of the European Union. The remaining sixt, though he remained a controversial figure, to the majority of the electorate and the supporters of the state's biggest political party (which he founded and led for 33 years) Eamon de ValeraEamon de Valera 1 (born Edward George de Valera Irish name amonn de Bhaileara ( October 14, 1882 August 29, 1975), was a leader of Ireland's struggle for independence from Britain in the early 20th Century, and of the Republican opposition in the ensuing was seen as the father of the nation up to his death in 1975Events January January 1 Watergate scandal: John N. Mitchell, H. Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman are found guilty of the Watergate cover-up and are sentenced to 30 months to 8 years in jail on February 21 January 5 The Tasman Bridge in Tasmania, Australia, i. However in the 1980sMillennia: 1st millennium 2nd millennium 3rd millennium Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s Years: 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Events and trends, 1990sCenturies: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s 2040s Years: Events and trends Computers, technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other techn and 2000sThis article is about the decade starting at the beginning of 2000 and ending at the end of 2009. For the century or millennium starting in 2000, see the links below. Millennia: 2nd millennium 3rd millennium 4th millennium Centuries: 20th century 21st cen his reputation too underwent a re-evaluation, with the public moving away from their unfettered enthusiasm for 'deV' and his achievements and instead focusing interest on leaders like Michael CollinsMichael Collins ( October 16, 1890 August 22, 1922), an Irish revolutionary leader, served as Minister for Finance in the Irish Republic, as a member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations, as Chairman of the Provisional Govern whom de Valera in his lifetime had tried to sideline.

The deposed King of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah has been called "Father of the Nation" by current President Hamid Karzai, in some sense a compromise with those wishing to restore the monarchy; and a 2003 draft constitution in fact explicitly awarded this title to Zahir Shah.