How Did George Washington Background Influence How He Felt About Government

George Washington, a Founding Male parent of the United States, led the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary State of war and was America's first president.

Who Was George Washington?

George Washington was a Virginia plantation owner who served every bit a full general and commander-in-master of the colonial armies during the American Revolutionary War, and later became the starting time president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797.

Early on Life and Family

Washington was built-in on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland Canton, Virginia. He was the eldest of Augustine and Mary's six children, all of whom survived into adulthood.

The family lived on Pope's Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia. They were moderately prosperous members of Virginia's "middling course."

Washington could trace his family's presence in North America to his cracking-grandfather, John Washington, who migrated from England to Virginia. The family unit held some distinction in England and was granted land past Henry VIII.

But much of the family unit'southward wealth in England was lost under the Puritan regime of Oliver Cromwell. In 1657 Washington's granddad, Lawrence Washington, migrated to Virginia. Little information is available most the family in North America until Washington's father, Augustine, was built-in in 1694.

Augustine Washington was an aggressive homo who acquired state and enslaved people, built mills, and grew tobacco. For a time, he had an involvement in opening iron mines. He married his starting time wife, Jane Butler, and they had iii children. Jane died in 1729 and Augustine married Mary Ball in 1731.

Mount Vernon

In 1735, Augustine moved the family up the Potomac River to another Washington family unit home, Niggling Hunting Creek Plantation — later renamed Mount Vernon.

They moved once again in 1738 to Ferry Farm on the Rappahannock River, reverse Fredericksburg, Virginia, where Washington spent much of his youth.

Childhood and Educational activity

Footling is known nigh Washington's childhood, which fostered many of the fables later biographers manufactured to fill in the gap. Among these are the stories that Washington threw a silvery dollar beyond the Potomac and later on chopping down his begetter's prize cherry tree, he openly confessed to the offense.

It is known that from age seven to 15, Washington was habitation-schooled and studied with the local church sexton and later on a schoolmaster in practical math, geography, Latin and the English language classics.

But much of the cognition he would utilise the remainder of his life was through his acquaintance with woodsmen and the plantation foreman. By his early teens, he had mastered growing tobacco, stock raising and surveying.

Washington'southward father died when he was 11 and he became the ward of his half-brother, Lawrence, who gave him a good upbringing. Lawrence had inherited the family's Little Hunting Creek Plantation and married Anne Fairfax, the daughter of Colonel William Fairfax, patriarch of the well-to-do Fairfax family. Nether her tutelage, Washington was schooled in the finer aspects of colonial civilization.

In 1748, when he was 16, Washington traveled with a surveying party plotting land in Virginia's western territory. The following twelvemonth, aided past Lord Fairfax, Washington received an engagement equally the official surveyor of Culpeper Canton.

For two years he was very decorated surveying the land in Culpeper, Frederick and Augusta counties. The experience fabricated him resourceful and toughened his body and mind. Information technology as well piqued his interest in western country holdings, an interest that endured throughout his life with speculative state purchases and a belief that the futurity of the nation lay in colonizing the West.

In July 1752, Washington's brother, Lawrence, died of tuberculosis, making him the heir credible of the Washington lands. Lawrence'south only kid, Sarah, died two months later and Washington became the caput of one of Virginia'southward well-nigh prominent estates, Mount Vernon. He was 20 years old.

Throughout his life, he would hold farming as one of the most honorable professions and he was most proud of Mount Vernon. Washington would gradually increment his landholdings there to about 8,000 acres

Pre-Revolutionary War machine Career

In the early 1750s, France and Uk were at peace. However, the French military had begun occupying much of the Ohio Valley, protecting the King's country interests, especially fur trappers and French settlers. But the borderlands of this surface area were unclear and prone to dispute between the two countries.

Washington showed early signs of natural leadership and shortly after Lawrence's death, Virginia'south Lieutenant Governor, Robert Dinwiddie, appointed Washington adjutant with a rank of major in the Virginia militia.

French and Indian War

On October 31, 1753, Dinwiddie sent Washington to Fort LeBoeuf, at what is now Waterford, Pennsylvania, to warn the French to remove themselves from land claimed past Great britain. The French politely refused and Washington made a jerky ride back to Williamsburg, Virginia's colonial capital.

Dinwiddie sent Washington dorsum with troops and they set upwardly a postal service at Bully Meadows. Washington's small-scale force attacked a French post at Fort Duquesne, killing the commander, Coulon de Jumonville, and nine others and taking the rest prisoners. The French and Indian State of war had begun.

The French counterattacked and collection Washington and his men dorsum to his mail service at Great Meadows (later named "Fort Necessity.") Afterwards a full twenty-four hours siege, Washington surrendered and was soon released and returned to Williamsburg, promising not to build another fort on the Ohio River.

Though a little embarrassed at being captured, he was grateful to receive the thanks from the Business firm of Burgesses and see his name mentioned in the London gazettes.

Washington was given the honorary rank of colonel and joined British General Edward Braddock'due south army in Virginia in 1755. The British had devised a plan for a three-prong set on on French forces attacking Fort Duquesne, Fort Niagara and Crown Point.

During the encounter, the French and their Indian allies ambushed Braddock, who was mortally wounded. Washington escaped injury with four bullet holes in his cloak and 2 horses shot out from under him. Though he fought bravely, he could practice little to turn dorsum the rout and led the defeated regular army back to safety.

Commander of Virginia Troops

In August 1755, Washington was made commander of all Virginia troops at age 23. He was sent to the frontier to patrol and protect almost 400 miles of edge with some 700 sick-disciplined colonial troops and a Virginia colonial legislature unwilling to support him.

It was a frustrating assignment. His health failed in the closing months of 1757 and he was sent home with dysentery.

In 1758, Washington returned to duty on another expedition to capture Fort Duquesne. A friendly-fire incident took place, killing 14 and wounding 26 of Washington's men. However, the British were able to score a major victory, capturing Fort Duquesne and command of the Ohio Valley.

Washington retired from his Virginia regiment in Dec 1758. His feel during the war was generally frustrating, with cardinal decisions fabricated slowly, poor support from the colonial legislature and poorly trained recruits.

Washington applied for a commission with the British ground forces simply was turned down. In 1758, he resigned his commission and returned to Mountain Vernon disillusioned. The same year, he entered politics and was elected to Virginia'southward Firm of Burgesses.

Martha Washington

A month after leaving the army, Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, a widow, who was only a few months older than he. Martha brought to the marriage a considerable fortune: an 18,000-acre estate, from which Washington personally acquired 6,000 acres.

With this and land he was granted for his armed services service, Washington became i of the more wealthy landowners in Virginia. The marriage also brought Martha'due south 2 immature children, John (Jacky) and Martha (Patsy), ages six and 4, respectively.

Washington lavished great affection on both of them, and was heartbroken when Patsy died just before the Revolution. Jacky died during the Revolution, and Washington adopted ii of his children.

Enslaved People

During his retirement from the Virginia militia until the start of the Revolution, Washington devoted himself to the intendance and development of his land holdings, attending the rotation of crops, managing livestock and keeping up with the latest scientific advances.

By the 1790s, Washington kept over 300 enslaved people at Mountain Vernon. He was said to dislike the institution of slavery, simply accepted the fact that it was legal.

Washington, in his will, made his displeasure with slavery known, equally he ordered that all his enslaved people be granted their freedom upon the death of his wife Martha. (This act of generosity, however, practical to fewer than one-half of Mount Vernon'due south enslaved people: Those enslaved people owned by the Custis family were given to Martha's grandchildren after her expiry.)

Washington loved the landed gentry's life of horseback riding, play tricks hunts, line-fishing and cotillions. He worked six days a week, ofttimes taking off his coat and performing manual labor with his workers. He was an innovative and responsible landowner, breeding cattle and horses and tending to his fruit orchards.

Teeth

Much has been made of the fact that Washington used false teeth or dentures for virtually of his adult life. Indeed, Washington'southward correspondence to friends and family unit makes frequent references to aching teeth, inflamed gums and various dental woes.

Washington had i tooth pulled when he was just 24 years sometime, and past the time of his inauguration in 1789 he had just one natural tooth left. Merely his false teeth weren't fabricated of wood, as some legends propose.

Instead, Washington's fake teeth were fashioned from human teeth — including teeth from enslaved people and his own pulled teeth — ivory, animal teeth and assorted metals.

Washington's dental issues, according to some historians, probably impacted the shape of his face and may have contributed to his quiet, somber demeanor: During the Constitutional Convention, Washington addressed the gathered dignitaries but in one case.

American Revolution

Though the British Proclamation Act of 1763 — prohibiting settlement beyond the Alleghenies — irritated Washington and he opposed the Postage Act of 1765, he did not take a leading function in the growing colonial resistance against the British until the widespread protest of the Townshend Acts in 1767.

His letters of this period point he was totally opposed to the colonies declaring independence. However, past 1767, he wasn't opposed to resisting what he believed were fundamental violations by the Crown of the rights of Englishmen.

In 1769, Washington introduced a resolution to the Firm of Burgesses calling for Virginia to cold-shoulder British goods until the Acts were repealed.

Later the passage of the Coercive Acts in 1774, Washington chaired a coming together in which the Fairfax Resolves were adopted, calling for the convening of the Continental Congress and the use of armed resistance equally a last resort. He was selected as a delegate to the Kickoff Continental Congress in March 1775.

Commander-in-Principal of the Continental Army

After the battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, the political dispute betwixt Uk and her North American colonies escalated into an armed conflict. In May, Washington traveled to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia dressed in a war machine compatible, indicating that he was prepared for state of war.

On June 15th, he was appointed Major Full general and Commander-in-Chief of the colonial forces against Groovy Great britain. As was his custom, he did non seek out the office of commander, just he faced no serious competition.

Washington was the best pick for a number of reasons: he had the prestige, military experience and charisma for the job and he had been advising Congress for months.

Another gene was political: The Revolution had started in New England and at the time, they were the simply colonies that had direct felt the brunt of British tyranny. Virginia was the largest British colony and New England needed Southern colonial support.

Political considerations and force of personality aside, Washington was not necessarily qualified to wage war on the earth's most powerful nation. Washington'southward preparation and experience were primarily in frontier warfare involving small numbers of soldiers. He wasn't trained in the open up-field mode of battle practiced by the commanding British generals.

He also had no practical experience maneuvering large formations of infantry, commanding cavalry or artillery, or maintaining the flow of supplies for thousands of men in the field. But he was courageous and determined and smart enough to proceed i step ahead of the enemy.

Washington and his minor ground forces did gustation victory early in March 1776 by placing artillery above Boston, on Dorchester Heights, forcing the British to withdraw. Washington then moved his troops into New York City. But in June, a new British commander, Sir William Howe, arrived in the Colonies with the largest expeditionary forcefulness United kingdom had ever deployed to engagement.

Crossing the Delaware

In August 1776, the British army launched an attack and quickly took New York City in the largest boxing of the war. Washington'south army was routed and suffered the give up of 2,800 men.

He ordered the remains of his regular army to retreat into Pennsylvania across the Delaware River. Confident the war would be over in a few months, General Howe wintered his troops at Trenton and Princeton, leaving Washington free to attack at the time and place of his choosing.

On Christmas nighttime, 1776, Washington and his men returned across the Delaware River and attacked unsuspecting Hessian mercenaries at Trenton, forcing their give up. A few days afterward, evading a force that had been sent to destroy his army, Washington attacked the British again, this time at Princeton, dealing them a humiliating loss.

Victories and Losses

General Howe's strategy was to capture colonial cities and stop the rebellion at central economic and political centers. He never abandoned the conventionalities that once the Americans were deprived of their major cities, the rebellion would wither.

In the summer of 1777, he mounted an offensive against Philadelphia. Washington moved in his army to defend the city but was defeated at the Battle of Brandywine. Philadelphia savage two weeks afterwards.

In the tardily summer of 1777, the British army sent a major force, under the command of John Burgoyne, south from Quebec to Saratoga, New York, to split the rebellion between New England and the southern colonies. But the strategy backfired, equally Burgoyne became trapped by the American armies led by Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold at the Boxing of Saratoga.

Curlicue to Continue

Without back up from Howe, who couldn't reach him in time, Burgoyne was forced to give up his entire 6,200 man army. The victory was a major turning point in the war equally it encouraged France to openly ally itself with the American cause for independence.

Through all of this, Washington discovered an important lesson: The political nature of war was simply every bit of import equally the military one. Washington began to sympathise that military victories were every bit important as keeping the resistance alive.

Americans began to believe that they could meet their objective of independence without defeating the British army. Meanwhile, British Full general Howe clung to the strategy of capturing colonial cities in hopes of smothering the rebellion.

Howe didn't realize that capturing cities like Philadelphia and New York would non unseat colonial power. The Congress would just pack up and see elsewhere.

Valley Forge

The darkest fourth dimension for Washington and the Continental Regular army was during the winter of 1777 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The eleven,000-man strength went into winter quarters and over the next six months suffered thousands of deaths, generally from disease. But the army emerged from the winter still intact and in relatively good order.

Realizing their strategy of capturing colonial cities had failed, the British command replaced General Howe with Sir Henry Clinton. The British ground forces evacuated Philadelphia to return to New York City. Washington and his men delivered several quick blows to the moving army, attacking the British flank virtually Monmouth Courthouse. Though a tactical standoff, the see proved Washington's army capable of open field battle.

For the residuum of the war, Washington was content to keep the British confined to New York, although he never totally abased the idea of retaking the metropolis. The alliance with France had brought a large French army and a navy armada.

Washington and his French counterparts decided to let Clinton be and attack British Full general Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. Facing the combined French and Colonial armies and the French armada of 29 warships at his dorsum, Cornwallis held out as long every bit he could, but on Oct 19, 1781, he surrendered his forces.

Revolutionary State of war Victory

Washington had no way of knowing the Yorktown victory would bring the war to a close.

The British still had 26,000 troops occupying New York City, Charleston and Savannah, plus a big fleet of warships in the Colonies. By 1782, the French ground forces and navy had departed, the Continental treasury was depleted, and most of his soldiers hadn't been paid for several years.

A nigh-mutiny was avoided when Washington convinced Congress to grant a 5-yr bonus for soldiers in March 1783. By Nov of that year, the British had evacuated New York Urban center and other cities and the war was substantially over.

The Americans had won their independence. Washington formally bade his troops farewell and on December 23, 1783, he resigned his commission as commander-in-main of the ground forces and returned to Mount Vernon.

For four years, Washington attempted to fulfill his dream of resuming life as a gentleman farmer and to give his much-neglected Mount Vernon plantation the intendance and attention it deserved.

The war had been costly to the Washington family with lands neglected, no exports of goods, and the depreciation of paper money. But Washington was able to repair his fortunes with a generous land grant from Congress for his military service and become assisting once again.

Ramble Convention

In 1787, Washington was again called to the duty of his country. Since independence, the immature democracy had been struggling under the Manufactures of Confederation, a structure of government that centered ability with the states.

Simply u.s.a. were not unified. They fought among themselves over boundaries and navigation rights and refused to contribute to paying off the nation's war debt. In some instances, country legislatures imposed tyrannical tax policies on their own citizens.

Washington was intensely dismayed at the state of affairs, just only slowly came to the realization that something should be washed virtually information technology. Perhaps he wasn't sure the time was correct then before long after the Revolution to exist making major adjustments to the autonomous experiment. Or perhaps because he hoped he would not exist called upon to serve, he remained noncommittal.

Simply when Shays' Rebellion erupted in Massachusetts, Washington knew something needed to be done to amend the nation'south authorities. In 1786, Congress canonical a convention to be held in Philadelphia to improve the Manufactures of Confederation.

At the Constitutional Convention, Washington was unanimously chosen as president. Washington, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton had come to the conclusion that it wasn't amendments that were needed, merely a new constitution that would give the national regime more than authority.

In the end, the Convention produced a plan for government that not merely would accost the country's electric current problems, but would endure through fourth dimension. Afterward the convention adjourned, Washington's reputation and support for the new government were indispensable to the ratification of the new U.Due south. Constitution.

The opposition was strident, if not organized, with many of America's leading political figures — including Patrick Henry and Sam Adams — condemning the proposed authorities as a grab for power. Even in Washington's native Virginia, the Constitution was ratified by only ane vote.

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George Washington: Presidency

Still hoping to retire to his beloved Mount Vernon, Washington was once once more called upon to serve this country.

During the presidential election of 1789, he received a vote from every elector to the Balloter College, the only president in American history to be elected by unanimous approval. He took the oath of office at Federal Hall in New York City, the upper-case letter of the United states at the time.

As the first president, Washington was astutely aware that his presidency would set a precedent for all that would follow. He carefully attended to the responsibilities and duties of his office, remaining vigilant to not emulate any European royal court. To that cease, he preferred the title "Mr. President," instead of more imposing names that were suggested.

At offset he declined the $25,000 bacon Congress offered the part of the presidency, for he was already wealthy and wanted to protect his image as a selfless public servant. Even so, Congress persuaded him to accept the compensation to avoid giving the impression that only wealthy men could serve as president.

Washington proved to be an able administrator. He surrounded himself with some of the most capable people in the country, appointing Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury and Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. He delegated authority wisely and consulted regularly with his cabinet listening to their advice earlier making a decision.

Washington established wide-ranging presidential authority, but ever with the highest integrity, exercising power with restraint and honesty. In doing so, he set a standard rarely met by his successors, but one that established an platonic by which all are judged.

READ More: How George Washington'southward Personal and Physical Characteristics Helped Him Win the Presidency

Accomplishments

During his start term, Washington adopted a series of measures proposed by Treasury Secretarial assistant Hamilton to reduce the nation'south debt and identify its finances on sound footing.

His administration besides established several peace treaties with Native American tribes and canonical a bill establishing the nation'southward capital in a permanent commune along the Potomac River.

Whiskey Rebellion

And then, in 1791, Washington signed a bill authorizing Congress to place a tax on distilled spirits, which stirred protests in rural areas of Pennsylvania.

Quickly, the protests turned into a full-scale defiance of federal law known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Washington invoked the Militia Act of 1792, summoning local militias from several states to put down the rebellion.

Washington personally took command, marching the troops into the areas of rebellion and demonstrating that the federal authorities would use force, when necessary, to enforce the law. This was also the only time a sitting U.Southward. president has led troops into battle.

Jay Treaty

In foreign diplomacy, Washington took a cautious arroyo, realizing that the weak young nation could non succumb to Europe'southward political intrigues. In 1793, French republic and United kingdom were once again at state of war.

At the urging of Hamilton, Washington disregarded the U.S. brotherhood with French republic and pursued a class of neutrality. In 1794, he sent John Jay to United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland to negotiate a treaty (known equally the "Jay Treaty") to secure a peace with Britain and clear up some problems held over from the Revolutionary War.

The action infuriated Jefferson, who supported the French and felt that the U.S. needed to honor its treaty obligations. Washington was able to mobilize public support for the treaty, which proved decisive in securing ratification in the Senate.

Though controversial, the treaty proved beneficial to the The states by removing British forts along the western frontier, establishing a clear boundary between Canada and the United states of america, and about chiefly, delaying a war with Britain and providing over a decade of prosperous trade and development the fledgling land so badly needed.

Political Parties

All through his two terms as president, Washington was dismayed at the growing partisanship within the government and the nation. The power bestowed on the federal government past the Constitution made for important decisions, and people joined together to influence those decisions. The germination of political parties at beginning were influenced more by personality than by issues.

Every bit Treasury secretary, Hamilton pushed for a strong national government and an economy built in industry. Secretary of State Jefferson desired to keep government small and center ability more at the local level, where citizens' liberty could be better protected. He envisioned an economy based on farming.

Those who followed Hamilton's vision took the name Federalists and people who opposed those ideas and tended to lean toward Jefferson's view began calling themselves Democratic-Republicans. Washington despised political partisanship, believing that ideological differences should never become institutionalized. He strongly felt that political leaders should exist free to argue important issues without being bound by party loyalty.

However, Washington could do picayune to slow the development of political parties. The ideals promoted by Hamilton and Jefferson produced a ii-political party system that proved remarkably durable. These opposing viewpoints represented a continuation of the debate over the proper function of government, a fence that began with the conception of the Constitution and continues today.

Washington'south administration was not without its critics who questioned what they saw every bit extravagant conventions in the function of the president. During his two terms, Washington rented the all-time houses available and was driven in a coach drawn past four horses, with outriders and lackeys in rich uniforms.

After being overwhelmed past callers, he announced that except for the scheduled weekly reception open to all, he would just see people by appointment. Washington entertained lavishly, just in private dinners and receptions at invitation simply. He was, by some, accused of conducting himself similar a rex.

All the same, ever mindful his presidency would fix the precedent for those to follow, he was careful to avert the trappings of a monarchy. At public ceremonies, he did not appear in a armed services uniform or the monarchical robes. Instead, he dressed in a black velvet suit with gilded buckles and powdered pilus, as was the mutual custom. His reserved manner was more due to inherent reticence than whatever excessive sense of dignity.

Retirement

Desiring to return to Mount Vernon and his farming, and feeling the refuse of his physical powers with age, Washington refused to yield to the pressures to serve a third term, even though he would probably non accept faced whatever opposition.

By doing this, he was again mindful of the precedent of being the "first president," and chose to establish a peaceful transition of regime.

Cheerio Address

In the terminal months of his presidency, Washington felt he needed to give his country one last measure of himself. With the help of Hamilton, he composed his Farewell Address to the American people, which urged his swain citizens to cherish the Marriage and avert partisanship and permanent foreign alliances.

In March 1797, he turned over the authorities to John Adams and returned to Mount Vernon, determined to live his final years as a simple gentleman farmer. His last official human activity was to pardon the participants in the Whiskey Rebellion.

Upon returning to Mountain Vernon in the leap of 1797, Washington felt a reflective sense of relief and accomplishment. He had left the government in capable easily, at peace, its debts well-managed, and set on a course of prosperity.

He devoted much of his time to tending the farm'south operations and management. Although he was perceived to be wealthy, his land holdings were only marginally profitable.

Death

On a cold Dec day in 1799, Washington spent much of information technology inspecting the farm on horseback in a driving snowstorm. When he returned home, he hastily ate his supper in his wet apparel then went to bed.

The next forenoon, on December thirteen, he awoke with a astringent sore throat and became increasingly hoarse. He retired early on, but awoke around 3 a.thousand. and told Martha that he felt very sick. The illness progressed until he died late in the evening of December 14, 1799.

The news of Washington's decease at age 67 spread throughout the country, plunging the nation into a deep mourning. Many towns and cities held mock funerals and presented hundreds of eulogies to award their fallen hero. When the news of this death reached Europe, the British armada paid tribute to his memory, and Napoleon ordered ten days of mourning.

Legacy

Washington could have been a rex. Instead, he chose to be a denizen. He set many precedents for the national regime and the presidency: The 2-term limit in office, only broken once by Franklin D. Roosevelt, was later ensconced in the Constitution's 22nd Amendment.

He crystallized the power of the presidency equally a part of the government's three branches of government, able to exercise authorisation when necessary, but also accept the checks and balances of power inherent in the system.

He was non only considered a armed forces and revolutionary hero, just a human of not bad personal integrity, with a deep sense of duty, honor and patriotism. For over 200 years, Washington has been acclaimed equally indispensable to the success of the Revolution and the nativity of the nation.

But his most important legacy may be that he insisted he was dispensable, asserting that the cause of freedom was larger than whatsoever single private.

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