George Washington

 General, Founding Father, President 

George Washington was born in 1732, in Virginia. He was the son of a very wealthy tobacco merchant and slave owner. In 1752, at the age of 20, he joined the Colonial Militia of Virginia. Two years later, in 1754, he was appointed as the new commander of the Virginia Regiment. The same year he won his first military victory against the French forces at the Battle of Jumonville Glen, but the French defeated him 2 months later at the Battle of Fort Necessity. 

Ferry Farm, the residency of the Washington family

Colonel Washington wearing the uniform of the Virginia Regiment

Eventually, he resigned from the Colonial Militia in 1758, and, in 1759, he married Martha Curtis, a very rich widow. They had a childless marriage. 

The Marriage of George Washington to Martha Curtis

During the 1760's and early 1770's, Washington's focus shifted toward politics. He joined the legislative assembly of Virginia, where he openly criticized the British Crown new taxes imposed on the colonies. In the end, the situation degenerated, and as a result, the American Revolutionary War began in 1775. The Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army and Washington became his commander due to his military experience.

Infantrymen of the Continental Army

In March 1776, Washington took Boston after a 10 months siege. On the 4th of July, the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, which boosted the morale of the Colonists. However, the British landed in New York in August and defeated Washington's army at the Battles of Long Island and Manhattan Island. Thus, the British captured New York and held it until the end of the war. The Continental Army retreated to Pennsylvania, preparing for winter, but, in an unprecedented move, General Washington decided to cross the Delaware River on Christmas night of 1776, and won a major victory at the Battle of Trenton. In January 1777, he won another battle at Princeton.

George Washington's Crossing of Delaware River

The campaign of 1777 was with ups in downs for the Continental Army. On one hand, the colonists, led by General General Gates, defeated the British at the Battle of Saratoga, which convinced France to join the war on the American side, while on the other, Washington was defeated at the Battle of Brandywine, in September, and decided to camp at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, for the rest of the winter. Here, along with the French general Lafayette, restructured the Continental Army in order to create a professional force to fight the British while struggling to manage a disastrous supply crisis which lead to the death of almost 2,000 soldiers.

General Washington and General Lafayette at Valley Forge

Overall, the aimed was achieved, and in 1781, the Franco-American army defeated the British at Yorktown, thus ending the war. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris recognized the independence of the USA by Great Britain, France and the rest of the Western World. A new nation had been born. 

After the war Washington resigned his command of the army almost immediately, but his popularity was unimaginable. In 1787, he presided over the Constitutional Convention which drafted the US Constitution. He was also persuaded by everybody to candidate for the presidency of the United States, even though he didn't want it, and he won the election in 1788 without having any opponent. Nobody would have been crazy enough to challenge a living legend. 

President George Washington (1789-1797)

 

Washington's first Presidential inauguration, April 30 1789, Federal Hall, New York City

During his first tenure, he organized the executive branch of the government into departments, which exist until this day, and, focused his attention on state of the economy. He also played the role of mediator between the 2 opposing parties, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. Washington disliked the idea of political parties, and, until this day, he is the only American President who wasn't a member of a political party. 

He got reelected again in 1792, and he continued his work as President. He was also offered the crown of the United States after the war, but he declined, preferring a republican form of government. Furthermore, he liked to be called ''Mr. President'' instead of ''Your Excellency''. He also made it clear he would not pursue a 3rd term as President, even though no law forbade him. 

He retired at Mount Vernon with his family. On December 14th 1799, the war hero George Washington died, at the age of 67. His wife died in 1802.