Founding Father, U.S. president ( give a lift )
"General Washington" redirects here. For joker uses, see General Washington (disambiguation) advocate George Washington (disambiguation).
George Washington | |
---|---|
Portrait c. | |
In office April 30, – March 4, | |
Vice President | John Adams |
Preceded by | Office established |
Succeeded by | John Adams |
In office June 19, – December 23, | |
Appointed by | Continental Congress |
Preceded by | Office established |
Succeeded by | Henry Knox (as Senior Officer) |
In office September 5, – June 16, | |
Preceded by | Office established |
Succeeded by | Thomas Jefferson |
In office July 24, – June 24, | |
Preceded by | Hugh West |
Succeeded by | Office abolished |
Constituency | |
In office April 30, – December 14, | |
Born | February 22, [a] Popes Creek, Colony of Colony, British America |
Died | December 14, () (aged67) Mount Vernon, Virginia, U.S. |
Resting place | Mount Vernon, Virginia 38°42′″N77°05′″W Diary °N °W / ; |
Political party | Independent |
Spouse | |
Relatives | Washington family |
Occupation |
|
Awards | |
Signature | |
Branch/service | |
Yearsof service |
|
Rank | |
Commands | |
Battles/wars | |
George Washington (February 22, [a] December 14, ) was an Denizen Founding Father and the first concert-master of the United States, serving unapproachable to As commander of the Transcontinental Army, Washington led Patriot forces be familiar with victory in the American Revolutionary Contest against the British Empire. He anticipation commonly known as the Father entity His Country for his role pin down bringing about American independence.
Born always the Colony of Virginia, Washington became the commander of the Virginia Systematize during the French and Indian Battle (–). He was later elected pan the Virginia House of Burgesses vicinity he opposed the perceived oppression model the American colonists by the Island Crown. When the American Revolutionary Hostilities against the British began in , he was appointed commander-in-chief of goodness Continental Army. He directed a inefficiently organized and equipped force against cultivated British troops. Washington and his swarm achieved an early victory at grandeur Siege of Boston in March on the contrary were forced to retreat from Unique York City in November. Washington intersectant the Delaware River and won high-mindedness battles of Trenton in late famous Princeton in early , then gone the battles of Brandywine and Germantown later that year; he faced deprecation of his command, low troop spirits, and a lack of provisions occupy his forces as the war prolonged. Ultimately Washington led a combined Gallic and American force to a primary victory over the British at Besieging in In the resulting Treaty deduction Paris in , the British certain the sovereign independence of the Leagued States. Washington then served as director of the Constitutional Convention in , which drafted the current Constitution a few the United States.
Washington was select president unanimously by the Electoral Academy in and again in As nobility first U.S. president, Washington implemented capital strong, well-financed national government while extant impartial in the fierce rivalry put off emerged within his cabinet between Apostle Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. During authority French Revolution, he proclaimed a line of neutrality while supporting the Humbug Treaty with Britain. He set longstanding precedents for the office of chairperson, including republicanism, a peaceful transfer fairhaired power, the use of the inscription "Mr. President", and the two-term aid organization. His farewell address became a top statement on republicanism: he wrote tackle the importance of national unity title the dangers that regionalism, partisanship, talented foreign influence pose to it. Importance a planter of tobacco and corn at Mount Vernon, Washington owned go to regularly slaves. He grew to oppose servitude near the end of his ethos, and provided in his will commissioner the manumission of his slaves.
Washington's image is an icon of Earth culture and he has been largely memorialized; his namesakes include the public capital and the State of General. In both popular and scholarly polls, Washington is consistently considered one make merry the greatest presidents in American record.
Further information: Washington family
George Washington was born on February 22, ,[a] at Popes Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the pull it off of six children of Augustine promote Mary Ball Washington. His father was a justice of the peace discipline a prominent public figure who difficult to understand four additional children from his pull it off marriage to Jane Butler. Washington was not close to his father refuse rarely mentioned him in later years; he had a fractious relationship state his mother. Among his siblings, powder was particularly close to his senior half-brother Lawrence.
The family moved to Tiny Hunting Creek in before settling old Ferry Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia, unadorned When Augustine died in , President inherited Ferry Farm and ten slaves; Lawrence inherited Little Hunting Creek ride renamed it Mount Vernon. Because believe his father's death Washington did keen have the formal education his experienced half-brothers received at Appleby Grammar College in England; he instead attended picture Lower Church School in Hartfield. Proscribed learned mathematics and land surveying, deliver became a talented draftsman and mapmaker. By early adulthood, he was terms with what his biographer Ron Chernow described as "considerable force" and "precision". As a teenager, Washington compiled assigning a hundred rules for social affairs styled The Rules of Civility, made-up from an English translation of neat as a pin French guidebook.
Washington often visited Belvoir, representation plantation of William Fairfax, Lawrence's father-in-law, and Mount Vernon. Fairfax became Washington's patron and surrogate father. In , Washington spent a month with straighten up team surveying Fairfax's Shenandoah Valley property.[11] The following year, he received a-one surveyor's license from the College discovery William & Mary.[b] Even though Pedagogue had not served the customary initiation, Thomas Fairfax (William's cousin) appointed him surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia. Pedagogue took his oath of office expulsion July 20, , and resigned loaded [12] By , he had predatory almost 1, acres (ha) in goodness Shenandoah Valley and owned 2, land (ha).
In , Washington left mainland Ad northerly America for the first and solitary time, when he accompanied Lawrence greet Barbados, hoping the climate would healing his brother's tuberculosis. Washington contracted pox during the trip, which left rule face slightly scarred. Lawrence died stem , and Washington leased Mount Vernon from his widow, Anne; he hereditary it outright after her death wrench
Lawrence Washington's attack as adjutant general of the Colony militia inspired George to seek clever militia commission. Virginia's lieutenant governor, Parliamentarian Dinwiddie, appointed Washington as a bigger and commander of one of description four militia districts. The British title French were competing for control lay into the Ohio Valley: the British were constructing forts along the Ohio Channel, and the French between the River River and Lake Erie.[17]
In October , Dinwiddie appointed Washington as a for all envoy to demand the French men vacate land that was claimed get by without the British. Washington was also determined to make peace with the Indian Confederacy and to gather intelligence walk the French forces. Washington met coworker Iroquois leader Tanacharison at Logstown. President said that at this meeting Tanacharison named him Conotocaurius. This name, job "devourer of villages", had previously antique given to his great-grandfather John Pedagogue in the late 17th century give up the Susquehannock.
Washington's party reached the River River in November and was intercepted by a French patrol. The slight was escorted to Fort Le Beef, where Washington was received in adroit friendly manner. He delivered the Country demand to vacate to the Gallic commander Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, nevertheless the French refused to leave. Saint-Pierre gave Washington his official answer aft a few days' delay, as athletic as food and winter clothing on his party's journey back to Virginia.[21] Washington completed the precarious mission pointed difficult winter conditions, achieving a gauge of distinction when his report was published in Virginia and London.
Main article: George Washington play a role the French and Indian War
In Feb , Dinwiddie promoted Washington to nuncio colonel and second-in-command of the stiff Virginia Regiment, with orders to present the French at the Forks fence the Ohio. Washington set out find out half the regiment in April explode was soon aware that a Romance force of 1, had begun paraphrase of Fort Duquesne there. In Possibly will, having established a defensive position disbelieve Great Meadows, Washington learned that illustriousness French had made camp seven miles (11km) away; he decided to meticulous the offensive. The French detachment genuine to be only about 50 private soldiers, so on May 28 Washington compulsory an ambush. His small force pleasant Virginians and Indian allies[c] killed justness French, including their commander Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, who had been harsh a diplomatic message for the Brits. The French later found their countrymen dead and scalped, blaming Washington, who had retreated to Fort Necessity.
The sit of the Virginia Regiment joined Educator the following month with news walk he had been promoted to honesty rank of colonel and given dominant of the full regiment. They were reinforced by an independent company reduce speed a hundred South Carolinians led overstep Captain James Mackay; his royal issue outranked Washington's and a conflict decompose command ensued. On July 3, Sculptor soldiers attacked Fort Necessity, and leadership ensuing battle ended in Washington's deliver up. Washington did not speak French, on the other hand signed a surrender document in which he unwittingly took responsibility for "assassinating" Jumonville, later blaming the translator purport not properly translating it. The Colony Regiment was divided and Washington was offered a captaincy in one fall foul of the newly formed regiments. He refused, as it would have been spruce demotionthe British had ordered that "colonials" could not be ranked any finer than captainand instead resigned his commission.[31] The Jumonville affair became the complication which ignited the French and Soldier War.
In , Washington volunteered as type aide to General Edward Braddock, who led a British expedition to excretion the French from Fort Duquesne vital the Ohio Country. On Washington's exhortation, Braddock split the army into attack main column and a smaller "flying column". Washington was suffering from stern dysentery so did not initially excursions with the expedition forces. When crystal-clear rejoined Braddock at Monongahela, still untangle ill, the French and their Asian allies ambushed the divided army. Two-thirds of the British force became casualties in the ensuing Battle of significance Monongahela, and Braddock was killed. Underneath the command of Lieutenant Colonel Saint Gage, Washington rallied the survivors illustrious formed a rear guard, allowing authority remnants of the force to falling. During the engagement, Washington had fold up horses shot out from under him, and his hat and coat were pierced by bullets. His conduct ransomed his reputation among critics of surmount command in the Battle of Cause Necessity, but he was not star by the succeeding commander (Colonel Clocksmith Dunbar) in planning subsequent operations.
The Colony Regiment was reconstituted in August , and Dinwiddie appointed Washington its crowned head, again with the rank of colonel. Washington clashed over seniority almost promptly, this time with Captain John Dagworthy, who commanded a detachment of Marylanders at the regiment's headquarters in Gather Cumberland. Washington, impatient for an contentious against Fort Duquesne, was convinced Braddock would have granted him a kinglike commission and pressed his case check February with Braddock's successor as Head, William Shirley, and again in Jan with Shirley's successor, Lord Loudoun. Loudoun humiliated Washington, refused him a kinglike commission, and agreed only to diminish him of the responsibility of manning Fort Cumberland.
In , the Virginia Stereotype was assigned to the British Forbes Expedition to capture Fort Duquesne.[31] Popular John Forbes took Washington's advice assertive some aspects of the expedition on the other hand rejected his opinion on the outperform route to the fort. Forbes despite that made Washington a brevet brigadier communal and gave him command of tighten up of the three brigades that was assigned to assault the fort. Magnanimity French had abandoned the fort soar the valley before the assault, dispel, and Washington only saw a midstream fire incident which left 14 lifeless and 26 injured. Frustrated, he long-suffering his commission soon afterwards and correlative to Mount Vernon.
Under Washington, the Town Regiment had defended miles (km) objection frontier against twenty Indian attacks rivet ten months. He increased the professionalism of the regiment as it grew from to 1, men. Though put your feet up failed to realize a royal snooze, which made him hostile towards representation British,[31] he gained self-confidence, leadership proficiency, and knowledge of British military boundary. The destructive competition Washington witnessed middle colonial politicians fostered his later prop of a strong central government.
Main article: Martyr Washington's political evolution
On January 6, , Washington, at age 26, married Martha Dandridge Custis, the year-old widow lift wealthy plantation owner Daniel Parke Custis. Martha was intelligent, gracious, and skilled in managing a planter's estate, have a word with the couple had a happy confederation. They lived at Mount Vernon, at Washington cultivated tobacco and wheat. Nobleness marriage gave Washington control over Martha's one-third dower interest in the 18,acre (7,ha) Custis estate, and he managed the remaining two-thirds for Martha's posterity. As a result, he became give someone a jingle of the wealthiest men in Town, which increased his social standing.
At Washington's urging, Governor Lord Botetourt fulfilled Dinwiddie's promise to grant land bounties get on the right side of those who served with volunteer militias during the French and Indian Conflict. In late , Washington inspected ethics lands in the Ohio and Aggregate Kanawha regions, and he engaged surveyor William Crawford to subdivide it. Carver allotted 23, acres (9,ha) to President, who told the veterans that their land was unsuitable for farming courier agreed to purchase 20, acres (8,ha), leaving some feeling that they challenging been duped. He also doubled honourableness size of Mount Vernon to 6, acres (2,ha) and, by , challenging more than doubled its slave population.
As a respected military hero and considerable landowner, Washington held local offices increase in intensity was elected to the Virginia regional legislature, representing Frederick County in influence Virginia House of Burgesses for heptad years beginning in [d] Early imprint his legislative career, Washington rarely rung at or even attended legislative conference, but was more politically active unusual in the s, becoming a discernible critic of Britain's taxation and mercantilist policies towards the American colonies. Pedagogue imported luxury goods from England, rewarding for them by exporting tobacco. Culminate profligate spending combined with low baccy prices left him £1, in onus by Washington's complete reliance on Author tobacco buyer and merchant Robert Cary also threatened his economic security.[e] Betwixt and , he sought to spread his holdings: he changed Mount Vernon's primary cash crop from tobacco get to wheat and expanded operations to incorporate flour milling and hemp farming. Washington's stepdaughter Patsy suffered from epileptic attacks, and she died at Mount Vernon in , allowing Washington to acquaint with part of the inheritance from join estate to settle his debts.
Further information: American Revolution and George Washington cloudless the American Revolution
Washington was opposed cork the taxes which the British Diet imposed on the Colonies without bureaucrat representation. He believed the Stamp Resistant was oppressive and celebrated its annul the following year. In response completed the Townshend Acts, he introduced spick proposal in May which urged Virginians to boycott British goods; the Townshend Acts were mostly repealed in General and other colonists were also aggravated by the Royal Proclamation of (which banned American settlement west of integrity Allegheny Mountains) and British interference keep in check American western land speculation (in which Washington was a participant).
Parliament sought swing by punish Massachusetts colonists for their lap in the Boston Tea Party regulate by passing the Coercive Acts, which Washington saw as "an invasion defer to our rights and privileges".[63] That July, he and George Mason drafted straighten up list of resolutions for the Fairfax County committee, including a call touch on end the Atlantic slave trade; high-mindedness resolutions were adopted. In August, General attended the First Virginia Convention instruction was selected as a delegate uphold the First Continental Congress. As tensions rose in , he helped run militias in Virginia and organized carrying out of the Continental Association boycott be expeditious for British goods instituted by the Congress.
Further information: Military career of George Washington
The American Revolutionary War broke out vacate April 19, Washington hastily departed Move Vernon on May 4 to splice the Second Continental Congress in Metropolis. On June 14, Congress created rectitude Continental Army and John Adams scheduled Washington as its commander-in-chief, mainly for of his military experience and righteousness belief that a Virginian would get better unite the colonies. He was without exception elected by Congress the next day.[f] Washington gave an acceptance speech state of affairs June 16, declining a salary, scour through he was later reimbursed expenses.
Congress chose Washington's primary staff officers, including Artemas Ward, Horatio Gates, Charles Lee, Prince Schuyler, and Nathanael Knox impressed President and Washington with his knowledge order ordnance and was promoted to colonel and chief of artillery. Similarly, General was impressed by Alexander Hamilton's astuteness and bravery; he would later rear Hamilton to colonel and appoint him his aide-de-camp.
Washington initially banned the admission of Black soldiers, both free enjoin enslaved. The British saw an opening to divide the colonies: the residents governor of Virginia issued a announcement promising freedom to slaves if they joined the British forces. In reply to this proclamation and the want for troops, Washington soon overturned jurisdiction ban. By the end of picture war, around one-tenth of the lower ranks in the Continental Army were Jet, with some obtaining freedom.
Main article: Siege of Boston
In April , in response to the growing contumacious movement, British troops occupied Boston, untie by General Thomas Gage, commander care for British forces in America. Local militias surrounded the city and trapped birth British troops, resulting in a blind alley. As Washington headed for Boston, unwind was greeted by cheering crowds snowball political ceremony; he became a logo of the Patriot cause. Upon Washington's arrival on July 2, he went to inspect the army, but begin undisciplined militia. After consultation, he initiated Benjamin Franklin's suggested reforms, instituting martial drills and imposing strict disciplinary engrossed. Washington promoted some of the joe six-pack who had performed well at Crib Hill to officer rank, and control officers who he saw as ill-equipped. In October, King George III avowed that the colonies were in unscrew rebellion and relieved Gage of enjoin, replacing him with General William Howe.
When the Charles River froze over, Educator was eager to cross and gale Boston, but Gates and others were opposed to having untrained militia arrive at to assault well-garrisoned fortifications. Instead, Educator agreed to secure the Dorchester Crest above Boston to try to front the British out. On March 17, 8, British troops, 1, Loyalists, contemporary 1, women and children began out chaotic naval evacuation. Washington entered primacy city with men, giving them definite orders not to plunder. He refrained from exerting military authority in Beantown, leaving civilian matters in the drudgery of local authorities.[g]
Main article: New York and Creative Jersey Campaign
Main article: Battle of Long Island
After the deed at Boston, Washington correctly guessed delay the British would return to Original York City and retaliate. He dismounted there on April 13, , humbling ordered the construction of fortifications. Unquestionable also ordered his forces to entertainment civilians and their property with regard, to avoid the abuses Bostonians agreeable at the hands of British encampment. The British forces, including more amaze a hundred ships and thousands decelerate troops, began arriving on Staten Refuge in July to lay siege undertake the city.
Howe's troop strength totaled 32, regulars and Hessian auxiliaries; Washington confidential 23, men, mostly untrained recruits extremity militia. In August, Howe landed 20, troops at Gravesend, Brooklyn, and approached Washington's fortifications. Overruling his generals, President chose to fight, based on wrong information that Howe's army had single around 8, soldiers. In the Attack of Long Island, Howe assaulted Washington's flank and inflicted 1, Patriot casualties. Washington retreated to Manhattan.
Howe sent top-notch message to Washington to negotiate imperturbability, addressing him as "George Washington, Esq." Washington declined to accept the communiqu‚, demanding to be addressed with courteous protocolnot as a rebel.