CHAPTER 1 GEORGE WASHINGTON any U S presidents have been hon ored for their great achievements George Washington s achievements have dis tinguished him as the Father of His Country Washington was commander in chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution chairman of the convention that wrote the U S Constitution and the first president of the United States He led the people who transformed the United States from a British colony into a self governing nation of democracy His ideals liberty and set a standard for future presidents and the entire country Washington was born in Westmoreland County Va on Feb 22 1732 He was the cldest child of Augustine and Mary Ball Washington His father owned plantations businesses and mines After his father died in 1743 George lived with his half brother Lawrence at an estate on the Potomac River called Mount Vernon George learned how to survey measure areas of land and to farm At age 16 Washington joined a group sent to survey unknown lands on the Virginia 12
sit in peace r GEORGE WASHINGTON he heart his country Portrait of General George Washington depicted upon his steed at the conclusion of the American Revolution Washington's ardent patrio tism led him to be named the first president of the United States Bob Thomas Popperfoto Getty Images 13
BIOGRAPHIES OF THE NEW AMERICAN NATIONA GEORGE WASHINGTON THOMAS JEFFERS MIRE frontier In 1749 he became the official sur veyor of Culpeper County After Lawrence s death in 1752 Washington became head of Mount Vernon and one of the richest plant ers in Virginia Slaves did most of the work on his estate Beginning in 1754 Washington fought in the French and Indian War He eventually became commander of all Virginia's troops Washington also served in the House of Burgesses Virginia's assembly of representa tives In 1759 he married Martha Dandridge a widow with two children The couple had no children together In 1775 Washington was elected to com mand the Continental Army In the ensuing American Revolution he proved a brilliant commander and a stalwart leader despite several defeats With the war effectively ended by the capture of Yorktown 1781 he resigned his commission and returned to Mount Vernon 1783 He was a delegate to and presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention 1787 and helped secure ratifica tion of the Constitution in Virginia When the state electors met to select the first president 1789 Washington was the unani mous choice John Adams was elected vice 14
GEORGE WASHINGTON president Washington was inaugurated into office on April 30 1789 The newly formed U S government con sisted of a legislative branch the Congress a judicial branch the Supreme Court and an executive branch which was headed by General Washington oversees the surrender of British General Cornwallis following the siege of Yorktown The Bridgeman Art Library Getty Images 15
