| George Washington was the first president of | | | | military and entered politics. He was a |
| the United States and considered one of the | | | | member of the Virginia legislature and a |
| best.George Washington is a much-admired | | | | major critic of the British. In 1770, |
| person in many respects. As the first | | | | Washington began advocating forceful |
| president of the United States, he set the | | | | resistance to British rule.In 1775, the |
| course upon which the current three-branch | | | | colonies formed a Continental Congress to |
| system of federal government is based. George | | | | address the conflict with the British. George |
| Washington is perhaps the one person who can | | | | Washington was elected Commander of all |
| most claim the title of Founding | | | | colonial forces. War had already broken out |
| Father.George Washington was born on February | | | | in Massachusetts. Washington and his troops |
| 22, 1732 in Virginia. He was the son of well | | | | soon joined and the British were defeated in |
| off plantation owner and spent his you in | | | | Boston in 1776. By summer, however, the |
| relative comfort. During his youth, the | | | | British has sent more troops and defeated the |
| British Empire ruled the 13 colonies. Despite | | | | colonial forces on numerous occasions.Facing |
| what you might assume, he was hardly a | | | | total defeat and a lack of money, George |
| revolutionary and his stated goal was to | | | | Washington did an amazing thing. He rallied |
| become an officer in the British Army! | | | | his rag tag colonial forces and paid their |
| Obviously, that goal never came to | | | | wages out of his own finances. By late |
| fruition.As George Washington grew into | | | | December of 1776, the colonial forces were |
| adulthood, he became an expert surveyor of | | | | starting to turn the tide against the |
| land. He worked in what was then called the | | | | British. After more victories in 1777, the |
| American West and purchased vast tracts of | | | | French offered their support. It took a few |
| land with other family members. He eventually | | | | years to arrive, but Washington was |
| owned over 56 thousand acres.In 1752, George | | | | eventually able to completely defeat the |
| Washington joined the Virginia militia. He | | | | British. In 1781, the British surrendered |
| quickly became an officer and played a | | | | much of the east coast. In 1783, a treaty was |
| pivotal part in the French and Indian War. | | | | signed granting the colonies their |
| The French had moved into the Ohio Valley, | | | | independence.On February 4, 1789, George |
| which aggravated the British to no end. | | | | Washington was elected the first President of |
| Washington was given the task of telling the | | | | the United States of America with John Adams |
| French to leave the territory. When they | | | | as vice president. As the first president, he |
| refused, Washington suggested a fort be built | | | | put in place many precedents and traditions |
| and his superiors agreed.As the fort was | | | | including:1. Being referred to as Mr. |
| being built, Washington was promoted to | | | | President.2. Refused to be declared King.3. |
| Lieutenant Colonel and given the task of | | | | The creation of an inaugural event and |
| defending it. Leading 159 men, he was | | | | ball.4. Swearing on a bible when taking the |
| victorious in minor skirmishes. Instead of | | | | oath of president.5. Moving the capital to |
| being promoted to an officer position in the | | | | Washington, D.C.6. Agreeing to the passage of |
| British Army, he was told no colonial could | | | | the Bill of Rights.7. Proclaimed the |
| attain the position. Bitter, Washington | | | | neutrality of the United States in all |
| resigned and the French turned the | | | | international conflicts.In 1792, President |
| tide.Desperate to turn the tide, the British | | | | Washington ran for re-election and was |
| Governor of Virginia reinstated George | | | | unopposed. He left office in March 1797. On |
| Washington by appointing him Commander of all | | | | December 14, 1799, he died of pneumonia on |
| the Colonial forces. Within three years, the | | | | his Virginia plantation.Richard Monk is with |
| French were defeated and Washington was | | | | - a site with facts about everything. Visit |
| famous. He married Martha Curtis in 1959, but | | | | us to read more about facts about George |
| they never had any children.By the 1760s, | | | | Washington. |
| George Washington had retired from the | | | | |