Washington, George (1732-99), commander in chief of the Continental army during the American Revolution, and later the first president of the United States. He symbolized qualities of discipline, aristocratic duty, military orthodoxy, and persistence in adversity that his contemporaries particularly valued as marks of mature political leadership.
Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia, the eldest son of Augustine Washington, a Virginia planter, and Mary Ball Washington. Although Washington had little or no formal schooling, his early notebooks indicate that he read in geography, military history, agriculture, deportment, and composition and that he showed some aptitude in surveying and simple
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Washington resigned his commission in 1754, but in May 1755 he began service as a volunteer aide-de-camp to the British general Edward Braddock, who had been sent to Virginia with a force of British regulars. A few kilometers from Fort Duquesne, Braddock's men were ambushed by a band of French soldiers and Native Americans. Braddock was mortally wounded, and Washington, who behaved gallantly during the conflict, narrowly escaped death. In August 1755 he was appointed (with the rank of colonel) to command the Virginia regiment, charged with the defense of the long western frontier of the colony. War between France and Britain was officially declared in May 1756, and while the principal struggle moved to other areas, Washington succeeded in keeping the Virginia frontier relatively safe.
The American Revolution
After the death of his elder half brother Lawrence, Washington inherited the plantation known as Mount Vernon. A spectacular rise in the price of tobacco during the 1730s and '40s, combined with his marriage in 1759 to Martha Custis, a young widow with a large estate, made him one of the wealthiest men in Virginia. Elected to the House of Burgesses in 1758, he served conscientiously but without special distinction for 17 years. He also gained political and administrative experience as justice of the peace for Fairfax County.
Like other Virginia planters, Washington became alarmed by the repressive measures of the British crown
The revered and respected first president, George Washington, gave the US hope during one of its most difficult times. Using the events and circumstances of his life to learn and advance his position, he grew from humble beginnings into a legend. George Washington had a valuable, well-rounded education from ages seven to fifteen, studying all the subjects (Nevins and Graff). Due to his father’s death, George grew up under the supervision of his half-brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon, learning many lessons and developing thoughts, actions, and manners he used later in life (Nevins and Graff). He worked as a surveyor for his first career and learned the benefits of hard work, endurance, and resourcefulness (Nevins and Graff). After Lawrence died, George took over running the family plantation and found farming an honorable, delectable, amusing, and profitable occupation (Nevins and Graff). Standing six feet tall with broad shoulders, Washington cultivated a lavish lifestyle of dancing, cards, billiards, and hunting as a prominent and active member in his community and church (Nevins and Graff). George Washington started his military career in November of 1752, and in 1755 he took the position as commander of all the Virginian troops at the young age of 23 years (Nevins and Graff). Washington desired more honor and respect than he received, so he resigned from the military in the fall of 1758 full of frustration (Nevins and Graff). War moved slowly, troops did not receive enough
Washington started his military career in the Virginia militia in 1753. He started out as an adjutant for the southern part of the colony. Four months later, they promoted him to lieutenant colonel. After defeating the French scouting party in
On February 22, 1732 Mary Ball Washington gave birth to her first son, who was later known as the great George Washington. George Washington was born, and raised in Virginia. His childhood held few moments of greatness, seeing that he was only one of the ten children in the family. George Washington’s parents grew tobacco, and sold timber for a living. He received most of his education from a boarding school, about thirty miles from this home. Although George Washington was not very religious he was a Christian, and helped out at a local churchyard school. At the age of twenty-one he was employed as the official surveyor of the country Culpeper, and owned more than 1500 acres of land which he paid for himself. After serving two terms in managing the affairs of the nation, George Washington died three years later at Mount Vernon of what physicians say was strep throat. According to George Washington “ American virtues have shifted over
George Washington was born February 11th, 1731 but according to the Gregorian calendar he was born February 22nd, 1732. He grew up in Stanford County, Virginia with his brothers and sisters. When Washington was just 20 years old his brother Lawrence
John Washington (who was the great-grand father of George Washington) came to Virginia in 1657 and obtained a land of almost 150 acres in Westmoreland County on the Potomac River and seven years, built Mount Vernon out of this land and another grant of 5,000 acres just 18 miles down present-day Washington, D.C. There’s not enough evidence to conclude anything for his son Lawrence, but his grandson Augustine left an immense record of businesses, mines, properties, and 2 marriages that left 5 descendants; between them George Washington.
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, the first child of Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Ball Washington, on their Pope's Creek Estate near present-day Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His father had four children by his first wife, Jane Butler: two died young, but two sons survived (Lawrence, born circa 1718,
While living as a civilian at Mount Vernon, Washington served in the House of Burgesses. This was the first representation of government in America. Washington's reputation had preceded him. He was well-known for the duties that he carried out during the war. While a representative in Virginia's House of Burgesses he pressed Britain for fair treatment of the colonies.
George Washington is regarded as a natural leader and the father of our country. He was the first president under the Constitution, not the first president of the United States. From the very beginning, he came into a job full of problems and a mile long to-do list. He had to set up the Judiciary Branch, deal with uprisings and conflicts between the natives and the western settlers, and try to keep together a nation that was falling apart. He created a group of advisors (the cabinet) to help him with certain issues. He had a few things on his mind at the time such as: stay out of a war, build up revenue to pay off Revolutionary War debt, and try to make peace with England.
In January 1759 he married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy and attractive young widow with two small children.
The following year, 1753, Washington was able lead a British ulimatum to the French in the Ohio River Valley. To add on to his accomplishments, in 1754, he served as a colonel in the French and Indian War. To conclude, Washington began show early signs of natural leadership and shortly after Lawrence's death.
Some people may wonder why George Washington was chosen to serve as a commander during this war. “In 1753, Lieutenant Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia ordered a young, ambitious 21-year old George Washington on mission deep into the Ohio Country to confront the French.”(“Mount Vernon”1) Because of his ambition to confront the French he was well respected all over and proved himself to be chosen as the commander for the war.
Although his feelings changed in 1767, when the Townshend Acts were passed George was all for resistance against what he felt was the abuse by the King of the rights of the Englishmen. George gave an idea to the House of Burgesses in 1769 to call everyone in Virginia to boycott all British merchandise until the Acts were lifted. Following the passing of the Intolerable acts of 1774, George called for a meeting. During this meeting, the Fairfax Resolves were created and with it the assembling of the Continental Congress happened and the use of weapons to help the resistance was agreed on. Washington was chosen as a delegate for the First Continental Congress in 1775. In 1775, following the battles of Lexington and Concord, Great Britain and the North American colonies started to have armed disputes. Prepared for the fight, Washington traveled to Philadelphia to the Second Continental Congress. Washington was chosen as the Major General and the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. Washington was a great general and was good at keeping the small army together through all the problems they faced. The soldiers had very little supplies in the war but they kept fighting. Finally after eight years, with the help from France,who became allies with the colonists, the Continental Army captured British soldiers who were under General Cornwallis in Yorktown. The capture ended the Revolutionary War and George was America’s Hero. A peace treaty was signed between America and Great Britain so George returned to his home at Mount
George Washington’s family’s presence in the U.S. can be dated back to 1657 when John Washington came to Virginia from England. Henry VIII gave a small bit of land to him, and that is when where they began their life. George’s father, Augustine, who built mills and grew tobacco, married Mary Bell in 1731 and they had six kids, George being the oldest. By the time he was 13 he could plant tobacco and survey with great skill. When his father died, his brother took over
Washington entered politics, serving (1759-74) in Virginia's House of Burgesses. In January 1759 he married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy and attractive young widow with two small children. After 1769, Washington became a leader in Virginia's resistance to Great Britain's colonial policies. At first he hoped for reconciliation with Britain, although some British policies had touched him personally.
George Washington, the First President of the United States, one of the most famous people in his time and in our time, was not always the President of the United States of America. He had an interesting life as Commander in Chief of the Colonial Army, a General in the Colonial Army, a father, and a husband from when he was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on February 22, 1732, until he died on December 14th, 1799 at Mount Vernon where he had lived two years after he left the presidency.