George Washington resigned as Commander-in-Chief on this day in 1783, a few months after the War of Independence had officially ended. As head of government and the military, he'd held effectively dictatorial power over the citizens of the new United States. By relinquishing that power, he set the standard that government should be run by the citizenry, not one man in perpetuity.
His resignation was a clear rejection of the voices of some in government who pushed for him to become a king. Instead, he'd run for the presidency five years later and be elected unanimously by the Electoral College for two terms. He retired in 1797 at Mount Vernon and died two years later.
You can learn more about Washington's resignation at the website of Mount Vernon, his former residence.