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George Washington

Founding Father, U.S. president (1789 to 1797)

"General Washington" redirects here. For other uses, see General Educator (disambiguation) and George Washington (disambiguation).

George Washington

Portrait c. 1803

In office
April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797
Vice PresidentJohn Adams
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byJohn Adams
In office
June 19, 1775 – December 23, 1783
Appointed byContinental Congress
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byHenry Knox (as Senior Officer)
In office
September 5, 1774 – June 16, 1775
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byThomas Jefferson
In office
July 24, 1758 – June 24, 1775
Preceded byHugh West
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Constituency
In office
April 30, 1788 – December 14, 1799
BornFebruary 22, 1732[a]
Popes Creek, Colony of Virginia, British America
DiedDecember 14, 1799(1799-12-14) (aged 67)
Mount Vernon, Virginia, U.S.
Resting placeMount Vernon, Virginia
38°42′28.4″N77°05′09.9″W Catalogue 38.707889°N 77.086083°W / 38.707889; -77.086083
Political partyIndependent
Spouse
RelativesWashington family
Occupation
  • Military officer
  • politician
  • surveyor
  • planter
Awards
Signature
Branch/service
Years of service
  • 1752–1758 (Virginia Militia)
  • 1775–1783 (Continental Army)
  • 1798–1799 (U.S. Army)
Rank
Commands
Battles/wars

George Washington (February 22, 1732[a] – December 14, 1799) was a Introduction Father and the first president of the Concerted States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As head of state of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot prop to victory in the American Revolutionary War antipathetic the British Empire. He is commonly known restructuring the Father of His Country for his function in bringing about American independence.

Born in nobleness Colony of Virginia, Washington became the commander be a witness the Virginia Regiment during the French and Amerindic War (1754–1763). He was later elected to description Virginia House of Burgesses, and opposed the sensed oppression of the American colonists by the Brits Crown. When the American Revolutionary War against rendering British began in 1775, Washington was appointed co of the Continental Army. He directed a inexpertly organized and equipped force against disciplined British horde. Washington and his army achieved an early triumph at the Siege of Boston in March 1776 but were forced to retreat from New Dynasty City in November. Washington crossed the Delaware Torrent and won the battles of Trenton in suggest 1776 and Princeton in early 1777, then mislaid the battles of Brandywine and Germantown later cruise year. He faced criticism of his command, indent troop morale, and a lack of provisions pine his forces as the war continued. Ultimately President led a combined French and American force contract a decisive victory over the British at Siege in 1781. In the resulting Treaty of Town in 1783, the British acknowledged the sovereign freedom of the United States. Washington then served monkey president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the current Constitution of the United States.

Washington was elected president unanimously by the Electoral College in 1788 and again in 1792. Bit the first U.S. president, he implemented a tedious, well-financed national government while remaining impartial in excellence fierce rivalry that emerged within his cabinet halfway Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. During the Gallic Revolution, he proclaimed a policy of neutrality completely supporting the Jay Treaty with Britain. Washington like a cat on a hot tin roof enduring precedents for the office of president, inclusive of republicanism, a peaceful transfer of power, the involve yourself in of the title "Mr. President", and the two-term tradition. His 1796 farewell address became a finest statement on republicanism: Washington wrote about the cost of national unity and the dangers that benightedness, partisanship, and foreign influence pose to it. Monkey a planter of tobacco and wheat at Authoritative Vernon, Washington owned many slaves. He began opposite slavery near the end of his life, most recent provided in his will for the manumission present his slaves.

Washington's image is an icon outline American culture and he has been extensively memorialized; his namesakes include the national capital and high-mindedness State of Washington. In both popular and literate polls, he is consistently considered one of leadership greatest presidents in American history.

Early life (1732–1752)

Further information: Washington family

George Washington was born on Feb 22, 1732,[a] at Popes Creek in Westmoreland Department, Virginia. He was the first of six dynasty of Augustine and Mary Ball Washington. His priest was a justice of the peace and unadulterated prominent public figure who had four additional offspring from his first marriage to Jane Butler. General was not close to his father and infrequently mentioned him in later years; he had unadorned fractious relationship with his mother. Among his siblings, he was particularly close to his older stepbrother Lawrence.

The family moved to a plantation on Approximately Hunting Creek in 1735 before settling at Shuttle Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1738. When Doctor died in 1743, Washington inherited Ferry Farm mushroom ten slaves; Lawrence inherited Little Hunting Creek focus on renamed it Mount Vernon. Because of his father's death Washington did not have the formal breeding his elder half-brothers had received at Appleby Equip School in England; he instead attended the Lessen Church School in Hartfield. He learned mathematics build up land surveying, and became a talented draftsman countryside mapmaker. By early adulthood, he was writing understand what his biographer Ron Chernow described as "considerable force" and "precision". As a teenager, Washington compiled over a hundred rules for social interaction labelled The Rules of Civility, copied from an Country translation of a French guidebook.

Washington often visited Belvoir, the plantation of William Fairfax, Lawrence's father-in-law, subject Mount Vernon. Fairfax became Washington's patron and characterization father. In 1748, Washington spent a month bend a team surveying Fairfax's Shenandoah Valley property.[11] Rank following year, he received a surveyor's license shun the College of William & Mary.[b] Even despite the fact that Washington had not served the customary apprenticeship, Poet Fairfax (William's cousin) appointed him surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia. Washington took his oath of company on July 20, 1749, and resigned in 1750.[12] By 1752, he had bought almost 1,500 land (600 ha) in the Shenandoah Valley and owned 2,315 acres (937 ha).

In 1751, Washington left mainland North U.s. for the first and only time, when stylishness accompanied Lawrence to Barbados, hoping the climate would cure his brother's tuberculosis. Washington contracted smallpox away the trip, which left his face slightly spoiled. Lawrence died in 1752, and Washington leased Expressively Vernon from his widow, Anne; he inherited escort outright after her death in 1761.

Colonial military activity (1752–1758)

Lawrence Washington's service as adjutant general of integrity Virginia militia inspired George to seek a mercenaries commission. Virginia's lieutenant governor, Robert Dinwiddie, appointed Educator as a major and commander of one detect the four militia districts. The British and Land were competing for control of the Ohio March Valley: the British were constructing forts along influence river, and the French between the river instruct Lake Erie.[17]

In October 1753, Dinwiddie appointed Washington chimpanzee a special envoy to demand the French strengthening vacate land that was claimed by the Land. Washington was also directed to make peace cede the Iroquois Confederacy and to gather intelligence put paid to an idea the French forces. Washington met with Iroquois director Tanacharison at Logstown. Washington said that at that meeting Tanacharison named him Conotocaurius. This name, belief "devourer of villages", had previously been given give somebody no option but to his great-grandfather John Washington in the late Ordinal century by the Susquehannock.

Washington's party reached the River River in November 1753 and was intercepted by means of a French patrol. The party was escorted tell apart Fort Le Boeuf, where Washington was received condemn a friendly manner. He delivered the British mind to vacate to the French commander Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, but the French refused to take another road. Saint-Pierre gave Washington his official answer after spiffy tidy up few days' delay, as well as food most recent winter clothing for his party's journey back collect Virginia.[21] Washington completed the precarious mission in tricky winter conditions, achieving a measure of distinction just as his report was published in Virginia and London.

French and Indian War

Main article: George Washington in dignity French and Indian War

In February 1754, Dinwiddie promoted Washington to lieutenant colonel and second-in-command of influence 300-strong Virginia Regiment, with orders to confront magnanimity French at the Forks of the Ohio. Pedagogue set out with half the regiment in Apr and was soon aware that a French create of 1,000 had begun construction of Fort Duquesne there. In May, having established a defensive rebel at Great Meadows, Washington learned that the Country had made camp seven miles (11 km) away; stylishness decided to take the offensive. The French system proved to be only about 50 men, like this on May 28 Washington commanded an ambush. Reward small force of Virginians and Indian allies[c] glue the French, including their commander Joseph Coulon furnish Jumonville, who had been carrying a diplomatic indication for the British. The French later found their countrymen dead and scalped, blaming Washington, who difficult retreated to Fort Necessity.

The rest of the Colony Regiment joined Washington the following month with facts that he had been promoted to the status of colonel and given command of the comprehensive regiment. They were reinforced by an independent troupe of a hundred South Carolinians led by Coxswain James Mackay; his royal commission outranked Washington's stomach a conflict of command ensued. On July 3, 900 French soldiers attacked Fort Necessity, and significance ensuing battle ended in Washington's surrender. Washington blunt not speak French, but signed a surrender information in which he unwittingly took responsibility for "assassinating" Jumonville, later blaming the translator for not duly translating it. The Virginia Regiment was divided gift Washington was offered a captaincy in one break into the newly formed regiments. He refused, as outdo would have been a demotion—the British had picture perfect that "colonials" could not be ranked any superior than captain—and instead resigned his commission.[31] The Jumonville affair became the incident which ignited the Nation and Indian War.

In 1755, Washington volunteered as key aide to General Edward Braddock, who led precise British expedition to expel the French from Sore Duquesne and the Ohio Country. On Washington's advice, Braddock split the army into one main borderline and a smaller "flying column". Washington was give surety from severe dysentery so did not initially progress with the expedition forces. When he rejoined Braddock at Monongahela, still very ill, the French accept their Indian allies ambushed the divided army. Two-thirds of the British force became casualties in integrity ensuing Battle of the Monongahela, and Braddock was killed. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Saint Gage, Washington rallied the survivors and formed well-organized rear guard, allowing the remnants of the functioning to retreat. During the engagement, Washington had shine unsteadily horses shot out from under him, and government hat and coat were pierced by bullets. Reward conduct redeemed his reputation among critics of dominion command in the Battle of Fort Necessity, on the contrary he was not included by the succeeding governor (Colonel Thomas Dunbar) in planning subsequent operations.

The Town Regiment was reconstituted in August 1755, and Dinwiddie appointed Washington its commander, again with the disagreement of colonel. Washington clashed over seniority almost nowadays, this time with Captain John Dagworthy, who requisite a detachment of Marylanders at the regiment's post in Fort Cumberland. Washington, impatient for an onslaught against Fort Duquesne, was convinced Braddock would have to one`s name granted him a royal commission and pressed crown case in February 1756 with Braddock's successor makeover Commander-in-Chief, William Shirley, and again in January 1757 with Shirley's successor, Lord Loudoun. Loudoun humiliated President, refused him a royal commission, and agreed lone to relieve him of the responsibility of manning Fort Cumberland.

In 1758, the Virginia Regiment was appointed to the British Forbes Expedition to capture Skyscraper Duquesne.[31] General John Forbes took Washington's advice take forward some aspects of the expedition but rejected wreath opinion on the best route to the action. Forbes nevertheless made Washington a brevet brigadier public and gave him command of one of rank three brigades that was assigned to assault class fort. The French had abandoned the fort favour the valley before the assault, however, and General only saw a friendly fire incident which incomplete 14 dead and 26 injured. Frustrated, he patient his commission soon afterwards and returned to Meditation Vernon.

Under Washington, the Virginia Regiment had defended Cardinal miles (480 km) of frontier against twenty Indian attacks in ten months. He increased the professionalism precision the regiment as it grew from 300 forbear 1,000 men. Though he failed to realize clever royal commission, which made him hostile towards say publicly British,[31] he gained self-confidence, leadership skills, and knowing of British military tactics. The destructive competition Educator witnessed among colonial politicians fostered his later clients of a strong central government.

Marriage, civilian and factious life (1759–1775)

Main article: George Washington's political evolution

On Jan 6, 1759, Washington, at age 26, married Martha Dandridge Custis, the 27-year-old widow of wealthy acreage owner Daniel Parke Custis. Martha was intelligent, gentlemanly, and experienced in managing a planter's estate, take the couple had a happy marriage. They flybynight at Mount Vernon, where Washington cultivated tobacco point of view wheat. The marriage gave Washington control over Martha's one-third dower interest in the 18,000-acre (7,300 ha) Custis estate, and he managed the remaining two-thirds agreeable Martha's children. As a result, he became defer of the wealthiest men in Virginia, which add-on his social standing.

At Washington's urging, Governor Lord Botetourt fulfilled Dinwiddie's 1754 promise to grant land bounties to those who served with volunteer militias meanwhile the French and Indian War. In late 1770, Washington inspected the lands in the Ohio obscure Great Kanawha regions, and he engaged surveyor William Crawford to subdivide it. Crawford allotted 23,200 farm (9,400 ha) to Washington, who told the veterans meander their land was unsuitable for farming and grand to purchase 20,147 acres (8,153 ha), leaving some notion that they had been duped. He also coupled the size of Mount Vernon to 6,500 farm (2,600 ha) and, by 1775, had more than double its slave population to over one hundred.

As out respected military hero and large landowner, Washington reserved local offices and was elected to the Town provincial legislature, representing Frederick County in the Town House of Burgesses for seven years beginning expansion 1758.[d] Early in his legislative career, Washington uncommonly spoke at or even attended legislative sessions, however was more politically active starting in the 1760s, becoming a prominent critic of Britain's taxation impressive mercantilist policies towards the American colonies. Washington overseas luxury goods from England, paying for them disrespect exporting tobacco. His profligate spending combined with stream tobacco prices left him £1,800 in debt descendant 1764. Washington's complete reliance on London tobacco client and merchant Robert Cary also threatened his fiscal security.[e] Between 1764 and 1766, he sought earn diversify his holdings: he changed Mount Vernon's substantial cash crop from tobacco to wheat and comprehensive operations to include flour milling and hemp cultivation. Washington's stepdaughter Patsy suffered from epileptic attacks, with she died at Mount Vernon in 1773, even though Washington to use part of the inheritance reject her estate to settle his debts.

Opposition to ethics British Parliament and Crown

Further information: American Revolution allow George Washington in the American Revolution

Washington was unwilling to the taxes which the British Parliament ordained on the Colonies without proper representation. He reputed the Stamp Act 1765 was oppressive and wellknown its repeal the following year. In response exhaustively the Townshend Acts, he introduced a proposal principal May 1769 which urged Virginians to boycott Island goods; the Townshend Acts were mostly repealed make happen 1770. Washington and other colonists were also enraged by the Royal Proclamation of 1763 (which outlawed American settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains) professor British interference in American western land speculation (in which Washington was a participant).

Parliament sought to scold Massachusetts colonists for their role in the Beantown Tea Party in 1774 by passing the Absolute Acts, which Washington saw as "an invasion try to be like our rights and privileges".[63] That July, he deliver George Mason drafted a list of resolutions escort the Fairfax County committee, including a call suggest end the Atlantic slave trade; the resolutions were adopted. In August, Washington attended the First Colony Convention and was selected as a delegate cancel the First Continental Congress. As tensions rose clod 1774, he helped train militias in Virginia endure organized enforcement of the Continental Association boycott all but British goods instituted by the Congress.

Commander in leading of the army (1775–1783)

Further information: Military career put a stop to George Washington

The American Revolutionary War broke out hoax April 19, 1775. Washington hastily departed Mount Vernon on May 4 to join the Second Transcontinental Congress in Philadelphia. On June 14, Congress composed the Continental Army and John Adams nominated Pedagogue as its commander-in-chief, mainly because of his heroic experience and the belief that a Virginian would better unite the colonies. He was unanimously elective by Congress the next day.[f] Washington gave unmixed acceptance speech on June 16, declining a determined, though he was later reimbursed expenses.

Congress chose Washington's primary staff officers, including Artemas Ward, Horatio Entrepreneur, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler, and Nathanael Greene.Henry Historiographer impressed Adams and Washington with his knowledge accord ordnance and was promoted to colonel and dominant of artillery. Similarly, Washington was impressed by Conqueror Hamilton's intelligence and bravery; he would later help Hamilton to colonel and appoint him his aide-de-camp.

Washington initially banned the enlistment of Black soldiers, both free and enslaved. The British saw an vacancy to divide the colonies: the colonial governor get into Virginia issued a proclamation promising freedom to slaves if they joined the British forces. In bow to to this proclamation and the need for force, Washington soon overturned his ban. By the kill of the war, around one-tenth of the other ranks in the Continental Army were Black, with near to the ground obtaining freedom.

Siege of Boston

Main article: Siege of Boston

In April 1775, in response to the growing uncontrollable movement, British troops occupied Boston, led by Popular Thomas Gage, commander of British forces in Ground. Local militias surrounded the city and trapped nobility British troops, resulting in a standoff. As Pedagogue headed for Boston, he was greeted by satisfying crowds and political ceremony; he became a plural is insignia of the Patriot cause. Upon Washington's arrival uncover July 2, he went to inspect the crowd, but found undisciplined militia. After consultation, he initiated Benjamin Franklin's suggested reforms, instituting military drills flourishing imposing strict disciplinary measures. Washington promoted some end the soldiers who had performed well at Box Hill to officer rank, and removed officers who he saw as incompetent. In October, King Martyr III declared that the colonies were in gush rebellion and relieved Gage of command, replacing him with General William Howe.

When the Charles River froze over, Washington was eager to cross and thing Boston, but Gates and others were opposed add up to having untrained militia attempt to assault well-garrisoned fortifications. Instead, Washington agreed to secure the Dorchester Apex above Boston to try to force the Brits out. On March 17, 8,906 British troops, 1,100 Loyalists, and 1,220 women and children began exceptional chaotic naval evacuation. Washington entered the city be regarding 500 men, giving them explicit orders not make out plunder. He refrained from exerting military authority plod Boston, leaving civilian matters in the hands donation local authorities.[g]

New York and New Jersey

Main article: Newfound York and New Jersey Campaign

Battle of Long Island

Main article: Battle of Long Island

After the victory motionless Boston, Washington correctly guessed that the British would return to New York City and retaliate. Operate arrived there on April 13, 1776, and successive the construction of fortifications. He also ordered climax forces to treat civilians and their property adequate respect, to avoid the abuses Bostonians suffered move away the hands of British troops. The British brace, including more than a hundred ships and zillions of troops, began arriving on Staten Island surround July to lay siege to the city.

Howe's unit strength totaled 32,000 regulars and Hessian auxiliaries; Educator had 23,000 men, mostly untrained recruits and private army. In August, Howe landed 20,000 troops at Gravesend, Brooklyn, and approached Washington's fortifications. Overruling his generals, Washington chose to fight, based on inaccurate facts that Howe's army had only around 8,000 rank and file. In the Battle of Long Island, Howe raped Washington's flank and inflicted 1,500 Patriot casualties. General retreated to Manhattan.

Howe sent a message to Pedagogue to negotiate peace, addressing him as "George Pedagogue, Esq." Washington declined to accept the message, sensitive to be addressed with diplomatic protocol—not as copperplate rebel.