George Washington was born in Virginia in 1732. His father, Augustine Washington, had two older sons from his first marriage. George was the oldest of five children born to Augustine and Mary Ball, his second wife. Augustine Washington died when George was 11 years old. The family land was divided. Lawrence was given Mount Vernon, the family plantation on the Potomac River. George got a small plot of land in Northern Virginia that had once been the family home.
Lawrence and Augustine, George’s two half-brothers, had been sent to England to complete their schooling. George expected to also go to college in England. After the death of George’s father there was not enough money for George to attend college either in Europe or America. As a teenager the young Washington wanted to improve himself. He carefully copied 110 “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior” that he found in a book. He used these 110 rules as a guide all through his life. Although he was unable to attend college in England, like his older half-brothers, Washington was ambitious and determined to make something of himself.
George as a young man admired his brother Lawrence who had served in the British navy. George wanted to enlist in the navy but his mother refused. Lawrence married the cousin of Lord Fairfax, one of Virginia’s wealthiest men who owned large estates in northern Virginia. Lord Fairfax took a special liking to George who had taught himself to be a surveyor. Lord Fairfax hired him to survey his land. After Lawrence died, Lord Fairfax introduced George Washington to the Governor of Virginia. The governor appointed the young 21 year-old to one of the military positions that Lawrence held before his death. Washington inherited his brother’s plantation, Mount Vernon. He was now a large landowner and held an important position in the Virginia militia.
During the colonial period of American history Virginia claimed much more land than it now has as a state. The Governor of Virginia was upset when he heard that the French were building forts along the Ohio River in what is now western Pennsylvania. Virginia believed that the French were invading their territory. The governor sent the young George Washington to the Ohio Valley with a message to the French. They were to leave the land at once.
Washington, with some Indian scouts, delivered the message to the French commander. The French commander refused to leave the Ohio Valley. Before Washington returned to Virginia he fought and defeated a small force of Frenchmen and their Indian allies. Washington kept a journal of his travels. When he returned to Virginia the governor had the journal printed and sent copies to England. Washington, now 22 years old, was well known in Virginia and in England.
The next year the British sent General Braddock with a small army to drive the French out of the Ohio Valley. Washington agreed to go along on the expedition. He offered advice to the British general but it was not always taken. General Braddock fought against the French and was defeated. He was wounded in the battle and died soon after. During the battle Washington had two horses shot out from under him and four bullets ripped through his uniform. It was Washington who led the defeated army to safety after General Braddock’s death. This was the beginning of a major war with the French called in America the French and Indian War.
Even though the French had defeated the English in this battle, Washington was considered a great hero in Virginia. The British had little respect for colonial troops and refused to give Washington a high rank in the army. Washington decided to retire to Mount Vernon. He married a very rich widow, Martha Dandridge Custis in 1759 and that same year was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.
Washington was concerned over Britain’s tax policies after the French and Indian War. He also believed that the King had no right to issue the Proclamation of 1763 that said the English colonies in North America could not move into lands beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Washington was chosen to represent Virginia in both the First and Second Continental Congresses. During a meeting of the Second Continental Congress it was decided to form an army to protect the colonies from British attacks. John Adams of Massachusetts recommended that Washington be made Commander-in-chief of that army.
General Washington immediately went to Boston where most of the fighting was taking place. He found that the army he commanded was not well prepared. The soldiers were not well trained and many would just leave to go home after a battle. Washington also had difficulty with the Congress that never sent him enough money to pay the soldiers. In the first years of the war, the new American army did not do well in battle. Despite all this Washington was able to build a strong fighting force. He was an excellent military commander. After seven years of war the Americans won and signed a peace treaty in 1783. Washington resigned from the army and retired to Mount Vernon. Many Americans wanted Washington to continue in the service of his country and some even wanted to make him king.
Washington kept in touch with leaders of the new country. The country had adopted a plan of government during the war known as the Articles of Confederation. Each state in the union had power and the central government of the United States had very little power. In 1778 Washington finally agreed to leave Mount Vernon and travel to a convention called to meet in Philadelphia to recommend changes to the Articles of Confederation. Washington was elected to be the president of this Constitutional Convention. After months of debate, a new Constitution was written. A new government was formed and George Washington was unanimously elected First President and John Adams chosen as Vice President. Washington had doubts about accepting the office of president. However, he agreed and called on leaders of the country to help him when he became president.
President Washington asked Thomas Jefferson to be one of his chief advisors and appointed him Secretary of State. Alexander Hamilton was chosen to be another advisor and served as Secretary of the Treasury. After a short time Jefferson and Hamilton began to disagree with one another. Jefferson resigned from the Cabinet. Hamilton soon after gave up his position. After his term of four years Washington decided to retire and return to Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson, who had often disagreed with the decisions of President Washington, urged him to run for a second term. Jefferson believed that the country would fall apart if Washington did not stay in office. He told Washington, “North and South will hang together, if they have you to hang on.” Hamilton agreed. Other important leaders of the country also told Washington that he must agree to run for election in 1792. He gave in and was again elected President.
President Washington refused to run for a third term in 1796. His Vice President, John Adams, was elected Second President of the United States and Thomas Jefferson, Vice President. Washington finally returned to Mount Vernon. President Adams called upon him to serve again in the army when it looked at if the United States would become involved in a war with France. Washington did not want to serve but felt he owed it to the nation. There was no war and General Washington again retired.
In 1799, as the country prepared for another presidential election, a group of important men visited Washington at Mount Vernon and tried to get him to agree to run again for the presidency. This time Washington absolutely refused. In December of 1799 Washington became seriously ill but continued to ride around Mount Vernon to check on his plantation. He died on December 14 with his wife Martha by his side. The entire nation mourned the death of this great leader.
At his funeral Henry Lee who served under General Washington in the Continental Army said that George Washington was “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Abigail Adams, wife of the President of the United States, said, “Simple truth is his best and great eulogy. She alone can render his fame immortal.”