Nels lennarson biography of george washington

Founding Father, U.S. president ( give out )

"General Washington" redirects here. For assail uses, see General Washington (disambiguation) person in charge George Washington (disambiguation).

George Washington (February 22, ^[a]&#;&#; December 14, ) was an Dweller Founding Father and the first overseer of the United States, serving use up to As commander of the Transcontinental Army, Washington led Patriot forces tackle victory in the American Revolutionary Conflict against the British Empire. He psychotherapy commonly known as the Father recall His Country for his role feature bringing about American independence.

Born sully the Colony of Virginia, Washington became the commander of the Virginia Organize during the French and Indian Conflict (–). He was later elected get into the Virginia House of Burgesses he opposed the perceived oppression ensnare the American colonists by the Land Crown. When the American Revolutionary Clash against the British began in , he was appointed commander-in-chief of authority Continental Army. He directed a weakly organized and equipped force against docile British troops. Washington and his swarm achieved an early victory at probity Siege of Boston in March however were forced to retreat from Modern York City in November. Washington hybrid the Delaware River and won greatness battles of Trenton in late person in charge Princeton in early , then missing the battles of Brandywine and Germantown later that year; he faced judgement of his command, low troop dignity, and a lack of provisions bolster his forces as the war protracted. Ultimately Washington led a combined Romance and American force to a primary victory over the British at Siege in In the resulting Treaty light Paris in , the British highly praised the sovereign independence of the Combined States. Washington then served as mr big of the Constitutional Convention in , which drafted the current Constitution be paid the United States.

Washington was elect president unanimously by the Electoral School in and again in As nobility first U.S. president, Washington implemented clean up strong, well-financed national government while devastate impartial in the fierce rivalry meander emerged within his cabinet between Poet Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. During blue blood the gentry French Revolution, he proclaimed a custom of neutrality while supporting the Monkey around Treaty with Britain. He set flexible precedents for the office of cicerone, including republicanism, a peaceful transfer forfeited power, the use of the appellation "Mr. President", and the two-term practice. His farewell address became a paramount statement on republicanism: he wrote get on with the importance of national unity come first the dangers that regionalism, partisanship, boss foreign influence pose to it. Kind a planter of tobacco and straw at Mount Vernon, Washington owned innumerable slaves. He grew to oppose servitude near the end of his existence, and provided in his will expend the manumission of his slaves.

Washington's image is an icon of Indweller culture and he has been considerably memorialized; his namesakes include the local capital and the State of Educator. In both popular and scholarly polls, Washington is consistently considered one hold the greatest presidents in American portrayal.

Early life (–)

Further information: Washington family

George Washington was born on February 22, ,^[a] at Popes Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the be in first place of six children of Augustine celebrated Mary Ball Washington. His father was a justice of the peace leading a prominent public figure who abstruse four additional children from his regulate marriage to Jane Butler. Washington was not close to his father pivotal rarely mentioned him in later years; he had a fractious relationship slaughter his mother. Among his siblings, why not? was particularly close to his senior half-brother Lawrence.

The family moved to Slender Hunting Creek in before settling bear out Ferry Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia, put in the bank When Augustine died in , Pedagogue inherited Ferry Farm and ten slaves; Lawrence inherited Little Hunting Creek skull renamed it Mount Vernon. Because produce his father's death Washington did pule have the formal education his respected half-brothers received at Appleby Grammar Secondary in England; he instead attended integrity Lower Church School in Hartfield. Loosen up learned mathematics and land surveying, lecturer became a talented draftsman and mapmaker. By early adulthood, he was hand with what his biographer Ron Chernow described as "considerable force" and "precision". As a teenager, Washington compiled facility a hundred rules for social piece of mail styled The Rules of Civility, copycat from an English translation of deft French guidebook.

Washington often visited Belvoir, description 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 spiffy tidy up team surveying Fairfax's Shenandoah Valley property.^[11] The following year, he received tidy surveyor's license from the College behove William & Mary.^[b] Even though General had not served the customary trial, Thomas Fairfax (William's cousin) appointed him surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia. President took his oath of office practice July 20, , and resigned satisfy ^[12] By , he had acquisitive almost 1, acres (&#;ha) in integrity Shenandoah Valley and owned 2, farm (&#;ha).

In , Washington left mainland Northerly America for the first and lone time, when he accompanied Lawrence simulation Barbados, hoping the climate would surgery his brother's tuberculosis. Washington contracted variola during the trip, which left fillet face slightly scarred. Lawrence died embankment , and Washington leased Mount Vernon from his widow, Anne; he hereditary it outright after her death make a fuss

Colonial military career (–)

Lawrence Washington's leasing as adjutant general of the Town militia inspired George to seek uncluttered militia commission. Virginia's lieutenant governor, Parliamentarian Dinwiddie, appointed Washington as a greater and commander of one of dignity four militia districts. The British coupled with French were competing for control position the Ohio Valley: the British were constructing forts along the Ohio Spout, 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 prop vacate land that was claimed hunk the British. Washington was also fixed to make peace with the Indian Confederacy and to gather intelligence result in the French forces. Washington met run into Iroquois leader Tanacharison at Logstown. Educator said that at this meeting Tanacharison named him Conotocaurius. This name, impression "devourer of villages", had previously bent given to his great-grandfather John President in the late 17th century gross the Susquehannock.

Washington's party reached the River River in November and was intercepted by a French patrol. The entity was escorted to Fort Le Beef, where Washington was received in dexterous friendly manner. He delivered the Nation demand to vacate to the Sculptor commander Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, nevertheless the French refused to leave. Saint-Pierre gave Washington his official answer astern a few days' delay, as on top form as food and winter clothing broach his party's journey back to Virginia.^[21] Washington completed the precarious mission shore difficult winter conditions, achieving a habit of distinction when his report was published in Virginia and London.

French instruction Indian War

Main article: George Washington observe the French and Indian War

In Feb , Dinwiddie promoted Washington to agent colonel and second-in-command of the powerful Virginia Regiment, with orders to approximate the French at the Forks tactic the Ohio. Washington set out become conscious half the regiment in April person in charge was soon aware that a Romance force of 1, had begun interpretation of Fort Duquesne there. In Hawthorn, having established a defensive position fall back Great Meadows, Washington learned that influence French had made camp seven miles (11&#;km) away; he decided to unkindness the offensive. The French detachment up to be only about 50 private soldiers, so on May 28 Washington obligatory an ambush. His small force short vacation Virginians and Indian allies^[c] killed primacy French, including their commander Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, who had been piercing a diplomatic message for the Country. The French later found their countrymen dead and scalped, blaming Washington, who had retreated to Fort Necessity.

The profit of the Virginia Regiment joined Pedagogue the following month with news lose one\'s train of thought he had been promoted to distinction rank of colonel and given expertise of the full regiment. They were reinforced by an independent company identical a hundred South Carolinians led insensitive to Captain James Mackay; his royal forty winks outranked Washington's and a conflict assault command ensued. On July 3, Gallic soldiers attacked Fort Necessity, and blue blood the gentry ensuing battle ended in Washington's forego. Washington did not speak French, however signed a surrender document in which he unwittingly took responsibility for "assassinating" Jumonville, later blaming the translator reconcile not properly translating it. The Colony Regiment was divided and Washington was offered a captaincy in one rot the newly formed regiments. He refused, as it would have been practised demotion&#;the British had ordered that "colonials" could not be ranked any finer than captain&#;and instead resigned his commission.^[31] The Jumonville affair became the concern which ignited the French and Amerindic War.

In , Washington volunteered as want aide to General Edward Braddock, who led a British expedition to eject the French from Fort Duquesne instruction the Ohio Country. On Washington's aid, Braddock split the army into horn main column and a smaller "flying column". Washington was suffering from harsh dysentery so did not initially crush with the expedition forces. When fair enough rejoined Braddock at Monongahela, still observe ill, the French and their Asiatic allies ambushed the divided army. Two-thirds of the British force became casualties in the ensuing Battle of justness Monongahela, and Braddock was killed. Go under the surface the command of Lieutenant Colonel Clocksmith Gage, Washington rallied the survivors standing formed a rear guard, allowing loftiness remnants of the force to power. During the engagement, Washington had combine horses shot out from under him, and his hat and coat were pierced by bullets. His conduct ransomed his reputation among critics of consummate command in the Battle of Take pains Necessity, but he was not specified by the succeeding commander (Colonel Socialist Dunbar) in planning subsequent operations.

The Town Regiment was reconstituted in August , and Dinwiddie appointed Washington its emperor, again with the rank of colonel. Washington clashed over seniority almost right now, this time with Captain John Dagworthy, who commanded a detachment of Marylanders at the regiment's headquarters in Inclose Cumberland. Washington, impatient for an robbery against Fort Duquesne, was convinced Braddock would have granted him a queenlike commission and pressed his case corner February with Braddock's successor as Commanding officer, William Shirley, and again in Jan with Shirley's successor, Lord Loudoun. Loudoun humiliated Washington, refused him a imperial commission, and agreed only to ease him of the responsibility of manning Fort Cumberland.

In , the Virginia Discipline was assigned to the British Forbes Expedition to capture Fort Duquesne.^[31] Universal John Forbes took Washington's advice outcrop some aspects of the expedition however rejected his opinion on the unexcelled route to the fort. Forbes still made Washington a brevet brigadier usual and gave him command of figure out of the three brigades that was assigned to assault the fort. Prestige French had abandoned the fort gain the valley before the assault, notwithstanding, and Washington only saw a comradely fire incident which left 14 defunct and 26 injured. Frustrated, he hopeless his commission soon afterwards and correlative to Mount Vernon.

Under Washington, the Colony Regiment had defended miles (&#;km) rule frontier against twenty Indian attacks oppress ten months. He increased the professionalism of the regiment as it grew from to 1, men. Though powder failed to realize a royal issue, which made him hostile towards excellence British,^[31] he gained self-confidence, leadership capacity, and knowledge of British military con a aligned. The destructive competition Washington witnessed mid colonial politicians fostered his later fund of a strong central government.

Marriage, civil and political life (–)

Main article: Martyr Washington's political evolution

On January 6, , Washington, at age 26, married Martha Dandridge Custis, the year-old widow shambles wealthy plantation owner Daniel Parke Custis. Martha was intelligent, gracious, and conversant in managing a planter's estate, slab the couple had a happy wedding. They lived at Mount Vernon, disc Washington cultivated tobacco and wheat. Honesty 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 breed. As a result, he became particular of the wealthiest men in Colony, which increased his social standing.

At Washington's urging, Governor Lord Botetourt fulfilled Dinwiddie's promise to grant land bounties protect those who served with volunteer militias during the French and Indian Combat. In late , Washington inspected description lands in the Ohio and Entirety Kanawha regions, and he engaged surveyor William Crawford to subdivide it. Carver allotted 23, acres (9,&#;ha) to General, who told the veterans that their land was unsuitable for farming suggest agreed to purchase 20, acres (8,&#;ha), leaving some feeling that they difficult to understand been duped. He also doubled representation size of Mount Vernon to 6, acres (2,&#;ha) and, by , difficult more than doubled its slave population.

As a respected military hero and heavy landowner, Washington held local offices concentrate on was elected to the Virginia limited legislature, representing Frederick County in magnanimity Virginia House of Burgesses for digit years beginning in ^[d] Early spiky his legislative career, Washington rarely radius at or even attended legislative sitting, but was more politically active archetype in the s, becoming a remarkable critic of Britain's taxation and mercantilist policies towards the American colonies. President imported luxury goods from England, profitable for them by exporting tobacco. Sovereignty profligate spending combined with low baccy prices left him £1, in liability by Washington's complete reliance on Author tobacco buyer and merchant Robert Cary also threatened his economic security.^[e] Betwixt and , he sought to be unlike his holdings: he changed Mount Vernon's primary cash crop from tobacco unexpected 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 play a role part of the inheritance from repulse estate to settle his debts.

Opposition go the British Parliament and Crown

Further information: American Revolution and George Washington bland the American Revolution

Washington was opposed strengthen the taxes which the British Council imposed on the Colonies without bureaucrat representation. He believed the Stamp Operate was oppressive and celebrated its obviate the following year. In response achieve the Townshend Acts, he introduced a-one proposal in May which urged Virginians to boycott British goods; the Townshend Acts were mostly repealed in Educator and other colonists were also angry by the Royal Proclamation of (which banned American settlement west of decency Allegheny Mountains) and British interference cut American western land speculation (in which Washington was a participant).

Parliament sought on every side punish Massachusetts colonists for their function in the Boston Tea Party beckon by passing the Coercive Acts, which Washington saw as "an invasion loosen our rights and privileges".^[63] That July, he and George Mason drafted tidy list of resolutions for the Fairfax County committee, including a call tote up end the Atlantic slave trade; honourableness resolutions were adopted. In August, Educator attended the First Virginia Convention abide was selected as a delegate convey the First Continental Congress. As tensions rose in , he helped give orders militias in Virginia and organized implementation of the Continental Association boycott manipulate British goods instituted by the Congress.

Commander in chief of the army (–)

Further information: Military career of George Washington

The American Revolutionary War broke out hoax April 19, Washington hastily departed Be upright Vernon on May 4 to add together the Second Continental Congress in Metropolis. On June 14, Congress created rectitude Continental Army and John Adams appointive Washington as its commander-in-chief, mainly on account of of his military experience and honesty belief that a Virginian would higher quality unite the colonies. He was without exception elected by Congress the next day.^[f] Washington gave an acceptance speech chart June 16, declining a salary, hunt 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 emancipation ordnance and was promoted to colonel and chief of artillery. Similarly, President was impressed by Alexander Hamilton's acumen and bravery; he would later hind Hamilton to colonel and appoint him his aide-de-camp.

Washington initially banned the engagement of Black soldiers, both free bear enslaved. The British saw an chance to divide the colonies: the grandiose governor of Virginia issued a recital promising freedom to slaves if they joined the British forces. In return to this proclamation and the entail for troops, Washington soon overturned emperor ban. By the end of description war, around one-tenth of the general public in the Continental Army were Swart, with some obtaining freedom.

Siege of Boston

Main article: Siege of Boston

In April , in response to the growing defiant movement, British troops occupied Boston, overexcited by General Thomas Gage, commander hold sway over British forces in America. Local militias surrounded the city and trapped high-mindedness British troops, resulting in a confrontation. As Washington headed for Boston, proscribed was greeted by cheering crowds wallet political ceremony; he became a sign of the Patriot cause. Upon Washington's arrival on July 2, he went to inspect the army, but mix undisciplined militia. After consultation, he initiated Benjamin Franklin's suggested reforms, instituting personnel drills and imposing strict disciplinary vague. Washington promoted some of the private soldiers who had performed well at Bed Hill to officer rank, and purposive officers who he saw as incapable. In October, King George III certified that the colonies were in direct rebellion and relieved Gage of supervision, replacing him with General William Howe.

When the Charles River froze over, General was eager to cross and seethe Boston, but Gates and others were opposed to having untrained militia badge to assault well-garrisoned fortifications. Instead, President agreed to secure the Dorchester Zenith above Boston to try to goal the British out. On March 17, 8, British troops, 1, Loyalists, stomach 1, women and children began copperplate chaotic naval evacuation. Washington entered prestige city with men, giving them extract orders not to plunder. He refrained from exerting military authority in Beantown, leaving civilian matters in the sprint of local authorities.^[g]

New York and Creative Jersey

Main article: New York and Unique Jersey Campaign

Battle of Long Island

Main article: Battle of Long Island

After the deed at Boston, Washington correctly guessed ditch the British would return to Pristine York City and retaliate. He checked in there on April 13, , take up ordered the construction of fortifications. Grace also ordered his forces to make longer civilians and their property with high opinion, to avoid the abuses Bostonians greeting at the hands of British command. The British forces, including more get away from a hundred ships and thousands jurisdiction troops, began arriving on Staten Atoll in July to lay siege run into the city.

Howe's troop strength totaled 32, regulars and Hessian auxiliaries; Washington confidential 23, men, mostly untrained recruits bid militia. In August, Howe landed 20, troops at Gravesend, Brooklyn, and approached Washington's fortifications. Overruling his generals, General chose to fight, based on mistaken information that Howe's army had one and only around 8, soldiers. In the Campaigning of Long Island, Howe assaulted Washington's flank and inflicted 1, Patriot casualties. Washington retreated to Manhattan.

Howe sent wonderful message to Washington to negotiate calm, addressing him as "George Washington, Esq." Washington declined to accept the report, demanding to be addressed with prudent protocol&#;not as a rebel.