George Washington

Lore & Background

Washington was born in the Colony of Virginia, the first of six children of Augustine and Mary Ball Washington. He did not have the formal education of his elder half-brothers, instead attending the Lower Church School in Hartfield and learning mathematics and land surveying. By early adulthood, he became a talented draftsman and mapmaker, and compiled over a hundred rules for social interaction styled The Rules of Civility. In 1751, he accompanied his half-brother Lawrence to Barbados, contracting smallpox that left his face slightly scarred but provided immunity. After Lawrence's death in 1752, Washington eventually inherited Mount Vernon.

Washington's colonial military career began when Virginia's lieutenant governor appointed him a major and commander of one of four militia districts. In 1753, he was sent as a special envoy to demand French forces vacate British-claimed land, a mission completed in difficult winter conditions. During the French and Indian War, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and later colonel of the Virginia Regiment. He led an ambush of a French detachment in May 1754, but was forced to surrender at Fort Necessity in July, signing a document in which he unwittingly took responsibility for 'assassinating' the French commander.

During the American Revolutionary War, Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in 1775. He achieved an early victory at the Siege of Boston in March 1776 but was forced to retreat from New York City in November. He crossed the Delaware River and won the battles of Trenton and Princeton, though he later lost the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. He faced criticism of his command, low troop morale, and lack of provisions. Ultimately, he led a combined French and American force to a decisive victory over the British at Yorktown in 1781, leading to the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

Reader's Guide

George Washington's significance lies in his foundational role in the creation of the United States. As commander of the Continental Army, he directed a poorly organized and equipped force to victory against the British Empire, securing American independence. He then served as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the current U.S. Constitution. Unanimously elected the first U.S. president by the Electoral College in 1788 and 1792, he established a strong, well-financed national government while remaining impartial in the rivalry between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. During the French Revolution, he adopted a policy of neutrality while supporting the Jay Treaty with Britain. Washington set enduring precedents for the presidency, including republicanism, a peaceful transfer of power, the use of the title 'Mr. President', and the two-term tradition. His 1796 farewell address became a preeminent statement on republicanism, emphasizing national unity and warning against regionalism, partisanship, and foreign influence. As a planter at Mount Vernon, he owned many slaves and began opposing slavery near the end of his life, providing in his will for the eventual manumission of his slaves. His image is an icon of American culture, and he is consistently considered one of the greatest presidents in American history.

Did You Know?

• Washington contracted smallpox during a trip to Barbados in 1751, which left his face slightly scarred but provided immunity against future infection.
• He compiled over a hundred rules for social interaction styled The Rules of Civility as a teenager, copied from an English translation of a French guidebook.
• Washington did not speak French but signed a surrender document at Fort Necessity in which he unwittingly took responsibility for 'assassinating' a French commander.
• He provided in his will for the eventual manumission of his slaves.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Nothing is a greater stranger to my breast, or a sin that my soul more abhors, than that black and detestable one, ingratitude." — George Washington "Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all." — George Washington "When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen." — George Washington "Every post is honorable in which a man can serve his country." — George Washington