George Washington

By Gabe P.

George Washington was born February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Little is really known of his early life except he had a slight formal education and soon revealed that he was skilled in math.

George's father, Augustine, had ten children total. He had four by his first wife and six by his second, Mary Ball which was George's mother. Augustine, from 1735 to 1738, lived at "Little Hunting Creek'' which is now known as Mount Vernon.

At the age of 15 George began working as a field surveyor. He went on to do this for a few years.

During the French and Indian War, Washington gained his fame in the colonies by showing bravery and leadership in battle as well as for the encouragement he showed his men.

In 1759 , Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis and at the time she already had two children by John Parke Custis. George and her together had no children.

As a planter, Washington did not like that he had to export his goods to Britain in British ships and then let British merchants sell it. On a few occasions, he complained that his products had been damaged by British ships and then sold at very cheap prices. Then he objected when British goods were sent to him in bad condition and were overpriced.

In 1775, the British House of Commons declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. This meant residents of Massachusetts had committed the crime of treason. Washington appeared at the second Continental Congress in uniform and spoke out his support of Massachusetts and his readiness to go to war against the British. Washington was unanimously elected general and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

The capture of the Hessians at Trenton when Colonel Rall surrendered to Washington was one of the great battles of the war. The devastating and low point of the war was at Valley Forge, when only one man held the men together and that was George Washington. The great battle that ended the war was the Battle of Yorktown, with the British Army General Cornwallis surrendering to Washington. This highlights Washington's triumph as an American leader and legend in his own time.

Washington went on to be the first president of the United States and he served two four-year terms and then set a precedent that is followed today, that no President can serve more than two terms. Wherever Washington was seen or heard, he acted dignified.

Washington never wore a wig unlike many others. Did you know he had wooden teeth? I bet you didn't. Today he is remembered as the" father of his country."

Washington died after a brief illness on December 14, 1799, and was then buried in the family vault at Mount Vernon. Washington died a war hero, and an internationally honored man.

Return to Blue Darter's Guide to the American Revolution

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