George Washington

George Washington (1732-1799) was an American statesman, military leader, and the first President of the United States. Born on February 22, 1732, to Augustine and Mary Ball Washington[8][2], he became the commanding general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later served as the nation's first president from 1789 to 1797.

Early Life and Education

George was born to Augustine and Mary Ball Washington on February 22, 1732[2], at the family's plantation on Pope's Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the eldest of five children of Augustine and Mary Ball Washington[6], though George's father, Augustine, had been married once before and had three older children from his previous marriage[8].

In 1738, they moved again to Ferry Farm, a plantation on the Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg, Virginia, where George spent much of his youth[1]. The family's circumstances changed dramatically when Augustine died in 1743, leaving George fatherless at the age of 11[1][4]. When he was eleven years old, his father Augustine died, leaving most of his property to George's adult half brothers. The income from what remained was just sufficient to maintain Mary Washington and her children[1].

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Washington never attended college or received a formal education.[1] The unexpected death of George Washington's father prevented him from receiving a Latin-based education in England[3]. Private tutors and possibly a local school in Fredericksburg provided George and his siblings with the only formal instruction he would receive[1][3]. George still attended the school of Rev. James Marye, the rector of St. George's Parish, where the young George Washington received a basic education in reading, writing, and mathematics[4].

In addition to reading, writing, and basic legal forms, George studied geometry and trigonometry—in preparation for his first career as a surveyor—and manners—which would shape his character and conduct for the rest of his life[1]. Most likely as a part of his schooling, George learned The Rules of Civility, a contemporary gentlemen's guide to formal etiquette and morality. George Washington not only used this book to supplement his lackluster education and enable him to later be able to correspond with the wealthy in colonial society, but also he stringently applied the handbook's moral code to his personal life[4].

Key Influences and Mentors

Lawrence was fourteen years older than George and a war hero and George idolized him.[5] George was 11 at the time and went to live with his older half-brother Lawrence who was 14 years his senior[7]. At his father's death, the 11-year-old boy became the ward of his half brother Lawrence, a man of fine character who gave him wise and affectionate care[21].

Within two months of Augustine's death, Lawrence married Anne Fairfax, the niece of the Lord William Fairfax, the wealthiest and most powerful man in the Northern Neck of Virginia. This union placed the Washingtons in the top rung of Virginia society, and would prove a blessing for young George[5]. Lawrence married Anne (Nancy) Fairfax, daughter of Col. William Fairfax, a cousin and agent of Lord Fairfax and one of the chief proprietors of the region. Living there chiefly with Lawrence, George entered a more spacious and polite world[21].

Professional Development

At the age of 15, Washington was finished with his formal schooling and began his first career as a surveyor. With the aid of his relative, Lord Fairfax, George was named surveyor for Culpeper County in 1749[5]. His experiences in this capacity hardened and toughened his body and taught him to be self-reliant at a young age. It also piqued his interest in western lands, an interest he never lost[5].

Lawrence, after a brief stop in Bermuda, returned to Virginia in June 1752 and died a month later of tuberculosis.[5] Lawrence further stipulated that should Sarah die childless, Mount Vernon would revert to George when Anne died. When Sarah died in 1754, George assumed the management of Mount Vernon at the age of 22 and when Anne passed in 1761, George Washington became master of the estate that was to become synonymous with his name.

Military Career and Revolutionary War

Washington's military experience began during the French and Indian War. In 1753, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Robert Dinwiddie sent twenty-one-year-old Washington, now a Major in the Virginia Regiment, to deliver a message to the French, demanding they abandon the Ohio Valley. Washington later published his account of the trip, giving him an international reputation[2].

On June 15, 1775—after a unanimous vote in the Assembly Room of Independence Hall, George Washington was appointed Commander in Chief of the newly formed Continental Army. The Continental Congress commissioned George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army on June 19, 1775[11][12]. Washington was selected over other candidates such as John Hancock based on his previous military experience and the hope that a leader from Virginia could help unite the colonies[12].

As Major General and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, George Washington won the military struggle for American Independence. Remarkably, however, Washington's army won only three of the nine major battles that he oversaw, and the army was often retreating when facing larger forces. Even some of the Army's victories were more strategic than measurable in military terms, but ultimately the Continental Army contained the British and ensured American victory[13].

Arriving in Cambridge, Massachusetts to take formal field command on July 2, 1775, Washington held command until independence was won, resigning his commission to the Continental Congress in Annapolis, Maryland, two days before Christmas in 1783. His ability to see the big picture and evolve his strategy on how to successfully navigate and ultimately win the American Revolution proved to be one of his strongest leadership traits during the eight-years in command[19].

Personal Life

On January 6, 1758, George married Martha Dandridge Custis, a beautiful and charming widow from Virginia.[2] He won election to the Virginia House of Burgesses and took his seat in February 1759—one month after his wedding to the wealthy widow Martha Custis[8]. A native of the Tidewater region of Virginia, Martha Custis was a young widow who recently had inherited an enormous amount of wealth after the passing of her husband, Daniel Parke Custis. She was also the mother of two young children, Jacky and Patsy. Following the marriage between George and Martha, the newlywed couple and Martha's two children moved to Mount Vernon[10].

Washington's relationship with slavery was complex and evolved over time. After the death of his father, when George Washington was only 11 years old, he inherited enslaved people. In Augustine's will, he endowed Ferry Farm and ten slaves to young George[3][4]. The shortage of soldiers forced him to reconsider this position, and the valor of Black troops challenged many of Washington's ideas about race. Prior to the war, Washington showed little compunction about buying and selling enslaved individuals. But as the war progressed, he began to consider the injustices of slavery and the possibility of free Black Americans. After the war, he committed to keeping families together on his plantation and refused to buy or sell additional individuals[8].

Presidency

Two years later, Washington became America's first president. Realizing that the way he handled the job would impact how future presidents approached the position, he handed down a legacy of strength, integrity and national purpose[24]. To this day, he is the only president to be unanimously elected. On April 16, 1789, George Washington left his home at Mount Vernon to travel to New York City to be inaugurated as the first President of the United States[2].

George Washington's presidency was marked by a series of firsts. He signed the first United States copyright law, protecting the copyrights of authors. He also signed the first Thanksgiving proclamation, making November 26 a national day of Thanksgiving for the end of the war for American independence and the successful ratification of the Constitution[24]. Under Washington's leadership, the states ratified the Bill of Rights, and five new states entered the union: North Carolina (1789), Rhode Island (1790), Vermont (1791), Kentucky (1792) and Tennessee (1796)[24].

On September 17, 1796, President Washington informed the American people in an article printed in Philadelphia's American Daily Advertiser that he would not be seeking a third presidential term. In what would become known as the Farewell Address, Washington instructed the new nation on how to carry on in his absence[27].

Death and Legacy

After serving two terms as president, George Washington retired to his estate at Mount Vernon in 1797. Two years into his retirement, Washington caught a cold. The cold developed into a throat infection[21]. On Thursday, December 12, 1799, George Washington was out on horseback supervising farming activities from late morning until three in the afternoon. The weather shifted from light snow to hail and then to rain. Upon Washington's return it was suggested that he change out of his wet riding clothes before dinner. Known for his punctuality, Washington chose to remain in his damp attire[25].

Despite their efforts, Washington died on the night of December 14, 1799. Between ten and eleven at night on December 14, 1799, George Washington passed away[21][25]. He was surrounded by people who were close to him including his wife who sat at the foot of the bed, his friends Dr. Craik and Tobias Lear, enslaved housemaids Caroline, Molly, and Charlotte, and his enslaved valet Christopher Sheels who stood in the room throughout the day[25].

In the final will, Washington outlined the manumission of those he enslaved after his death (those enslaved by Martha remained so) and financially contributed to educational institutions including the Alexandria Academy[25]. Washington, who kept one of the largest populations of enslaved people in the country, arranged in his will for them to be freed by the time of his wife's death[26].

At his funeral, Maj. Gen. Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee stated that Washington was, "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." First in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in the humble and endearing scenes of private life[20][28]. News of Washington's death spread throughout the country, plunging the nation into a deep mourning. Many towns and cities held mock funerals and presented hundreds of eulogies to honor the fallen president. Even the British fleet paid tribute to his memory, and the First Consul of France Napoleon Bonaparte ordered ten days of mourning[29].

Though not without faults, he established a precedent of selfless service and moral integrity in the American armed forces, a legacy that lives on in the nation he helped create. As the first U.S. president, Washington left behind a multifaceted legacy, setting many precedents for the presidency and federal government and left a lasting impact on American ideals and institutions[20][29].