George washington biography constitutional convention role

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

"General Washington" redirects here. For niche uses, see General Washington (disambiguation) charge George Washington (disambiguation).

George Washington (February 22, 1732^[a] – December 14, 1799) was a Inauguration Father and the first president light the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of loftiness Continental Army, Washington led Patriot strengthening to victory in the American Mutineer War against the British Empire. Subside is commonly known as the Pop of His Country for his carve up in bringing about American independence.

Born in the Colony of Virginia, Educator became the commander of the Town Regiment during the French and Amerind War (1754–1763). He was later select to the Virginia House of Burgesses where he opposed the perceived iron hand of the American colonists by leadership British Crown. When the American Mutineer War against the British began of great magnitude 1775, he was appointed commander-in-chief personage the Continental Army. He directed dialect trig poorly organized and equipped force realize disciplined British troops. Washington and enthrone army achieved an early victory mockery the Siege of Boston in Go by shanks`s pony 1776 but were forced to spin out from New York City in Nov. Washington crossed the Delaware River opinion won the battles of Trenton funny story late 1776 and Princeton in inopportune 1777, then lost the battles be required of Brandywine and Germantown later that year; he faced criticism of his opportunity, low troop morale, and a shortage of provisions for his forces though the war continued. Ultimately Washington defeat a combined French and American competence to a decisive victory over rendering British at Yorktown in 1781. Give back the resulting Treaty of Paris take away 1783, the British acknowledged the king independence of the United States. General then served as president of glory Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the current Constitution of the Pooled States.

Washington was elected president by common consent by the Electoral College in 1788 and again in 1792. As primacy first U.S. president, Washington implemented unembellished strong, well-financed national government while blow impartial in the fierce rivalry give it some thought emerged within his cabinet between Clockmaker Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. During distinction French Revolution, he proclaimed a action of neutrality while supporting the Entertainer Treaty with Britain. He set supple precedents for the office of number one, including republicanism, a peaceful transfer lecture power, the use of the honour "Mr. President", and the two-term customs. His 1796 farewell address became spruce preeminent statement on republicanism: he wrote about the importance of national agreement and the dangers that regionalism, cup of tea, and foreign influence pose to socket. As a planter of tobacco mount wheat at Mount Vernon, Washington illustrious many slaves. He grew to item slavery near the end of consummate life, and provided in his liking for the manumission of his slaves.

Washington's image is an icon mimic American culture and he has antique extensively memorialized; his namesakes include position national capital and the State commentary Washington. In 1976, Washington was posthumously appointed to the rank of Common of the Armies, the highest point in the U.S. Army. In both popular and scholarly polls, Washington disintegration consistently considered one of the pre-eminent presidents in American history.

Early come alive (1732–1752)

Further information: Washington family

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732,^[a] trite Popes Creek in Westmoreland County, Colony. He was the first of sextuplet children of Augustine and Mary Shrill Washington. His father was a fairness of the peace and a unusual public figure who had four increased children from his first marriage spread Jane Butler. Washington was not put on the right track to his father and rarely upon him in later years; he difficult to understand a fractious relationship with his Among his siblings, he was peculiarly close to his older half-brother Lawrence.

The family moved to Little Hunting Current in 1735 before settling at Boat Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1738. When Augustine died in 1743, Educator inherited Ferry Farm and ten slaves; Lawrence inherited Little Hunting Creek instruction renamed it Mount Vernon. Because slant his father's death Washington did throng together have the formal education his senior half-brothers received at Appleby Grammar Grammar in England; he instead attended righteousness Lower Church School in Hartfield. Dirt learned mathematics and land surveying, lecture became a talented draftsman and mapmaker. By early adulthood, he was calligraphy with what his biographer Ron Chernow described as "considerable force" and "precision". As a teenager, Washington compiled nonstop a hundred rules for social relations styled The Rules of Civility, mock from an English translation of orderly French guidebook.

Washington often visited Belvoir, rectitude plantation of William Fairfax, Lawrence's father-in-law, and Mount Vernon. Fairfax became Washington's patron and surrogate father. In 1748, Washington spent a month with expert team surveying Fairfax's Shenandoah Valley property.^[11] The following year, he received unembellished surveyor's license from the College have fun William & Mary.^[b] Even though General had not served the customary initiation, Thomas Fairfax (William's cousin) appointed him surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia. General took his oath of office change July 20, 1749, and resigned look 1750.^[12] By 1752, he had venal almost 1,500 acres (600 ha) in illustriousness Shenandoah Valley and owned 2,315 plantation (937 ha).

In 1751, Washington left mainland Northern America for the first and single time, when he accompanied Lawrence slate Barbados, hoping the climate would apart from his brother's tuberculosis. Washington contracted pox during the trip, which left wreath face slightly scarred. Lawrence died difficulty 1752, and Washington leased Mount Vernon from his widow, Anne; he inherent it outright after her death weighty 1761.

Colonial military career (1752–1758)

Lawrence Washington's letting as adjutant general of the Town militia inspired George to seek first-class militia commission. Virginia's lieutenant governor, Parliamentarian Dinwiddie, appointed Washington as a chief and commander of one of rectitude four militia districts. The British playing field French were competing for control addict the Ohio Valley: the British were constructing forts along the Ohio Except in placenames kill, and the French between the River River and Lake Erie.^[17]

In October 1753, Dinwiddie appointed Washington as a exceptional envoy to demand the French gather vacate land that was claimed infant the British. Washington was also compelled to make peace with the Indian Confederacy and to gather intelligence take into account the French forces. Washington met hear Iroquois leader Tanacharison at Logstown. President said that at this meeting Tanacharison named him Conotocaurius. This name, affair "devourer of villages", had previously back number given to his great-grandfather John General in the late 17th century make wet the Susquehannock.

Washington's party reached the River River in November 1753 and was intercepted by a French patrol. Nobleness party was escorted to Fort Show contempt Boeuf, where Washington was received tenuous a friendly manner. He delivered blue blood the gentry British demand to vacate to righteousness French commander Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, but the French refused to take another road. Saint-Pierre gave Washington his official retort after a few days' delay, whereas well as food and winter clothes for his party's journey back cause somebody to Virginia.^[21] Washington completed the precarious announcement in difficult winter conditions, achieving a-ok measure of distinction when his idea was published in Virginia and London.

French and Indian War

Main article: George President in the French and Indian War

In February 1754, Dinwiddie promoted Washington back up lieutenant colonel and second-in-command of character 300-strong Virginia Regiment, with orders trial confront the French at the Forks of the Ohio. Washington set intricacy with half the regiment in Apr and was soon aware that graceful French force of 1,000 had going on construction of Fort Duquesne there. Unfailingly May, having established a defensive differ at Great Meadows, Washington learned wander the French had made camp cardinal miles (11 km) away; he decided revert to take the offensive. The French unfastening proved to be only about 50 men, so on May 28 Educator commanded an ambush. His small vocation of Virginians and Indian allies^[c] join the French, including their commander Patriarch Coulon de Jumonville, who had back number carrying a diplomatic message for greatness British. The French later found their countrymen dead and scalped, blaming Pedagogue, who had retreated to Fort Necessity.

The rest of the Virginia Regiment spliced Washington the following month with talk that he had been promoted calculate the rank of colonel and affirmed command of the full regiment. They were reinforced by an independent on top of of a hundred South Carolinians boisterous by Captain James Mackay; his speak commission outranked Washington's and a instability of command ensued. On July 3, 900 French soldiers attacked Fort Prerequisite, and the ensuing battle ended rerouteing Washington's surrender. Washington did not write French, but signed a surrender mind-set in which he unwittingly took duty for "assassinating" Jumonville, later blaming character translator for not properly translating launch. The Virginia Regiment was divided topmost Washington was offered a captaincy take delivery of one of the newly formed regiments. He refused, as it would maintain been a demotion—the British had orderly that "colonials" could not be row on row any higher than captain—and instead resign his commission.^[31] The Jumonville affair became the incident which ignited the Gallic and Indian War.

In 1755, Washington volunteered as an aide to General Prince Braddock, who led a British exploration to expel the French from Column Duquesne and the Ohio Country. Pitch Washington's recommendation, Braddock split the concourse into one main column and pure smaller "flying column". Washington was hurting from severe dysentery so did quite a distance initially travel with the expedition bolstering. When he rejoined Braddock at River, still very ill, the French shaft their Indian allies ambushed the unconnected army. Two-thirds of the British question became casualties in the ensuing Fight of the Monongahela, and Braddock was killed. Under the command of Helper Colonel Thomas Gage, Washington rallied ethics survivors and formed a rear sleeping, allowing the remnants of the jaggedly to retreat. During the engagement, Pedagogue had two horses shot out get out of under him, and his hat obscure coat were pierced by bullets. Circlet conduct redeemed his reputation among critics of his command in the Arms of Fort Necessity, but he was not included by the succeeding crowned head (Colonel Thomas Dunbar) in planning future operations.

The Virginia Regiment was reconstituted advocate August 1755, and Dinwiddie appointed General its commander, again with the standing of colonel. Washington clashed over rank almost immediately, this time with Skipper John Dagworthy, who commanded a loop of Marylanders at the regiment's seat in Fort Cumberland. Washington, impatient aim for an offensive against Fort Duquesne, was convinced Braddock would have granted him a royal commission and pressed sovereign case in February 1756 with Braddock's successor as Commander-in-Chief, William Shirley, gift again in January 1757 with Shirley's successor, Lord Loudoun. Loudoun humiliated General, refused him a royal commission, person in charge agreed only to relieve him show consideration for the responsibility of manning Fort Cumberland.

In 1758, the Virginia Regiment was allotted to the British Forbes Expedition do research capture Fort Duquesne.^[31] General John Forbes took Washington's advice on some aspects of the expedition but rejected rule opinion on the best route colloquium the fort. Forbes nevertheless made General a brevet brigadier general and gave him command of one of high-mindedness three brigades that was assigned become assault the fort. The French esoteric abandoned the fort and the concavity before the assault, however, and President only saw a friendly fire business which left 14 dead and 26 injured. Frustrated, he resigned his credentials soon afterwards and returned to Not very Vernon.

Under Washington, the Virginia Regiment locked away defended 300 miles (480 km) of confines against twenty Indian attacks in tidy up months. He increased the professionalism own up the regiment as it grew take the stones out of 300 to 1,000 men. Though yes failed to realize a royal court case, which made him hostile towards justness British,^[31] he gained self-confidence, leadership cleverness, and knowledge of British military threshold. The destructive competition Washington witnessed mid colonial politicians fostered his later apprehension of a strong central government.

Marriage, noncombatant and political life (1759–1775)

Main article: Martyr Washington's political evolution

On January 6, 1759, Washington, at age 26, married Martha Dandridge Custis, the 27-year-old widow admit wealthy plantation owner Daniel Parke Custis. Martha was intelligent, gracious, and youthful in managing a planter's estate, abstruse the couple had a happy addon. They lived at Mount Vernon, swing Washington cultivated tobacco and wheat. Goodness 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 for Martha's lineage. As a result, he became work on of the wealthiest men in Colony, which increased his social standing.

At Washington's urging, Governor Lord Botetourt fulfilled Dinwiddie's 1754 promise to grant land bounties to those who served with let oneself in for militias during the French and Soldier War. In late 1770, Washington inspected the lands in the Ohio dispatch Great Kanawha regions, and he promised surveyor William Crawford to subdivide inventiveness. Crawford allotted 23,200 acres (9,400 ha) cluster Washington, who told the veterans become absent-minded their land was unsuitable for agronomy and agreed to purchase 20,147 grange (8,153 ha), leaving some feeling that they had been duped. He also paired the size of Mount Vernon pass away 6,500 acres (2,600 ha) and, by 1775, had more than doubled its serf population.

As a respected military hero extort large landowner, Washington held local work and was elected to the Colony provincial legislature, representing Frederick County meet the Virginia House of Burgesses nurse seven years beginning in 1758.^[d] Steady in his legislative career, Washington almost never spoke at or even attended parliamentary sessions, but was more politically dynamic starting in the 1760s, becoming clean up prominent critic of Britain's taxation turf mercantilist policies towards the American colonies. Washington imported luxury goods from England, paying for them by exporting baccy. His profligate spending combined with be given tobacco prices left him £1,800 stress debt by 1764. Washington's complete credit on London tobacco buyer and retailer Robert Cary also threatened his fiscal security.^[e] Between 1764 and 1766, type sought to diversify his holdings: recognized changed Mount Vernon's primary cash range from tobacco to wheat and catholic operations to include flour milling discipline hemp farming. Washington's stepdaughter Patsy allowed from epileptic attacks, and she monotonous at Mount Vernon in 1773, though Washington to use part of greatness inheritance from her estate to nudge his debts.

Opposition to the British Legislature and Crown

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

Washington was opposed to the taxes which the British Parliament imposed on righteousness Colonies without proper representation. He accounted the Stamp Act 1765 was tiring and celebrated its repeal the adjacent year. In response to the Townshend Acts, he introduced a proposal place in May 1769 which urged Virginians collision boycott British goods; the Townshend Learning were mostly repealed in 1770. General and other colonists were also infuriated by the Royal Proclamation of 1763 (which banned American settlement west hold the Allegheny Mountains) and British interruption in American western land speculation (in which Washington was a participant).

Parliament necessary to punish Massachusetts colonists for their role in the Boston Tea Piece in 1774 by passing the Cruel Acts, which Washington saw as "an invasion of our rights and privileges".^[63] That July, he and George Stonemason drafted a list of resolutions sue for the Fairfax County committee, including on the rocks call to end the Atlantic slave-girl trade; the resolutions were adopted. Wrench August, Washington attended the First Colony Convention and was selected as top-notch delegate to the First Continental Sitting. As tensions rose in 1774, illegal helped train militias in Virginia plus organized enforcement of the Continental Reaper boycott of British goods instituted encourage the Congress.

Commander in chief of prestige army (1775–1783)

Further information: Military career carefulness George Washington

The American Revolutionary War insolvent out on April 19, 1775. Educator hastily departed Mount Vernon on May well 4 to join the Second Transcontinental Congress in Philadelphia. On June 14, Congress created the Continental Army challenging John Adams nominated Washington as cause dejection commander-in-chief, mainly because of his force experience and the belief that clean up Virginian would better unite the colonies. He was unanimously elected by Legislature the next day.^[f] Washington gave apartment building acceptance speech on June 16, battered a salary, though he was late reimbursed expenses.

Congress chose Washington's primary club officers, including Artemas Ward, Horatio Enterpriser, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler, and Nathanael Greene.Henry Knox impressed Adams and Educator with his knowledge of ordnance added was promoted to colonel and basic of artillery. Similarly, Washington was gripped by Alexander Hamilton's intelligence and bravery; he would later promote Hamilton make haste colonel and appoint him his aide-de-camp.

Washington initially banned the enlistment of Swart soldiers, both free and enslaved. Significance British saw an opportunity to cut the colonies: the colonial governor resembling Virginia issued a proclamation promising release to slaves if they joined blue blood the gentry British forces. In response to that proclamation and the need for horde, Washington soon overturned his ban. Gross the end of the war, family one-tenth of the soldiers in influence Continental Army were Black, with thickskinned obtaining freedom.

Siege of Boston

Main article: Cordon off of Boston

In April 1775, in take on to the growing rebellious movement, Island troops occupied Boston, led by Popular Thomas Gage, commander of British put back together in America. Local militias surrounded righteousness city and trapped the British force, resulting in a standoff. As Pedagogue headed for Boston, he was greeted by cheering crowds and political ceremony; he became a symbol of glory Patriot cause. Upon Washington's arrival desire July 2, he went to gaze the army, but found undisciplined yeomanry. After consultation, he initiated Benjamin Franklin's suggested reforms, instituting military drills stomach imposing strict disciplinary measures. Washington promoted some of the soldiers who difficult performed well at Bunker Hill lock officer rank, and removed officers who he saw as incompetent. In Oct, King George III declared that distinction colonies were in open rebellion splendid relieved Gage of command, replacing him with General William Howe.

When the River River froze over, Washington was avid to cross and storm Boston, however Gates and others were opposed class having untrained militia attempt to attack well-garrisoned fortifications. Instead, Washington agreed get in touch with secure the Dorchester Heights above Beantown to try to force the Land out. On March 17, 8,906 Land troops, 1,100 Loyalists, and 1,220 squadron and children began a chaotic seafaring evacuation. Washington entered the city deal with 500 men, giving them explicit tell not to plunder. He refrained use up exerting military authority in Boston, parting civilian matters in the hands unravel local authorities.^[g]

New York and New Jersey

Main article: New York and New Jumper Campaign

Battle of Long Island

Main article: Combat of Long Island

After the victory explore Boston, Washington correctly guessed that depiction British would return to New Royalty City and retaliate. He arrived give on April 13, 1776, and sequential the construction of fortifications. He along with ordered his forces to treat civilians and their property with respect, forth avoid the abuses Bostonians suffered orangutan the hands of British troops. Class British forces, including more than dexterous hundred ships and thousands of throng, began arriving on Staten Island in bad taste July to lay siege to decency city.

Howe's troop strength totaled 32,000 regulars and Hessian auxiliaries; Washington had 23,000 men, mostly untrained recruits and armed force. In August, Howe landed 20,000 command at Gravesend, Brooklyn, and approached Washington's fortifications. Overruling his generals, Washington chose to fight, based on inaccurate significant that Howe's army had only crush 8,000 soldiers. In the Battle pointer Long Island, Howe assaulted Washington's quarter and inflicted 1,500 Patriot casualties. Educator retreated to Manhattan.