How does George Washington on the dollar bill represent the US?

Portraits used on US paper money are chosen at the discretion of the Treasury Department, but normally are picked because the individual in question made a major contribution to US history and/or politics.

* = Denomination no longer in circulation

** = Denomination only produced for intragovernmental use

# = Individual was not a US President

$1 Washington The first president and leader of the Continental Army $2 Jefferson Main author of the Declaration of Independence $5 Lincoln Led the US during the Civil War $20 Jackson Army General during the War of 1812 $50 Grant Union commander during the Civil War $500* McKinley Led the US in the Spanish-American War $1,000* Cleveland Led anti-corruption movements $5,000* Madison Main author of the US Constitution $100,000** Wilson Led the US during WWI $10 Hamilton# First US Secretary of the Treasury $100 Franklin# Statesman, inventor, philosopher $10,000 Chase# Secretary of the Treasury, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court