PEOPLE IN HISTORY          WARS, BATTLES AND REVOLUTIONS          MAP ARCHIVE          FAMOUS SPEECHES

 
 

GOVERNMENTS IN HISTORY          HISTORIC DOCUMENTS          HISTORIC PLACES AND LOCATIONS          ALL-TIME RECORDS IN HISTORY

 
 

SOURCE TEXT          SOURCE DOCUMENTS          HISTORY DICTIONARY          TIMELINES          ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDS

 
   
 

HOME   -   PEOPLE IN HISTORY A-Z   -   GEORGE WASHINGTON

 
   


 

George Washington 1732-1799

Image Above

George Washington (detail)

Oil on canvas by Gilbert Stuart, who lived 1755-1828, and who created this portrait around 1796-1805

United States Senate



First US President George Washington never lived in the White House. Neither did he wear a wig. But he did have a neat handwriting.

George was called the Father of His Country. He worked as a farmer and cattle breeder. Those were the days.

Standing six feet two inches tall (188 cm), equipped with courage, discipline, common sense, and modesty, he was a fine gentleman with dedication and loyalty for the American cause.

 

George Washington's Family

George's father was Augustine Washington. Augustine had four children by his first wife, Jane Butler, and six children by his second wife, who would become George's mother, Mary Ball.

In 1759, George married Martha Dandridge (1731-1802), widow of Daniel Parke Custis. She was the mother of two living and two dead children.

George did not have any children of his own. However, he had two stepchildren from Martha's first marriage.

George Washington, 1732 - 1799

 

George Washington's Early Years

Washington was always ashamed that he had so little formal education. He was 20 years old when he inherited Mount Vernon, the 8,000 acre family estate. Washington's marriage added his wife's large estate to his own. He later acquired additional lands.

Although without any kind of military training, Washington sought a position in the Virginia militia.

 

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 1754 - 1763

In the upper Ohio River valley colonial rivalry between France and England came to a head. The young George Washington was sent to the French quarter with the order for the French to withdraw. War ensued and the opening fight at Fort Necessity was the only time Washington ever surrendered in battle.

In 1755, George Washington was one of the few survivors of the Battle of the Monongahela.

Map of the Battle of the Monongahela - July 9, 1755
Map of the Battle of the Monongahela



Here is more about the
Fourth French and Indian War.

And here is more about all  French and Indian Wars.

 

AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1775 - 1783

The colonists felt exploited and hampered by the British Empire, who, in turn, desired a tighter grip on colonial affairs.

In the resulting war, Washington served as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware River on December 25, 1776, marked the turning point in this conflict.


Map of the Siege of Boston 1776
Map of Washington at the Siege of Boston 1776



Here is more about the
 American War of Independence.

On March 15, 1783, George Washington addressed his men with his  Speech at Newburgh.

On November 25, 1783, Washington led his troops into New York, which the British had recently left.

On December 23, 1783, George Washington voluntarily resigned his military commission to the Continental Congress at the State House in Annapolis, Maryland. And here is his  Resignation Speech.

 

President of the United States of America 1789-1797

Respected by all states, Washington was inaugurated as first president on April 30, 1789, in New York City, which was the capital of the United States at the time.

On April 30, 1789, George Washington delivered his  First Inaugural Address before Congress at Federal Hall in New York City.


Re-elected for a second term, he urged his fellow citizens to remain strictly neutral in international affairs in order not to compromise America's independence.

March 4, 1793 — Here is Washington's Second Inaugural Address., delivered at the Senate Chamber, Congress Hall, Philadelphia, PA. With 135 words, it's the shortest inaugural address.

Fellow Citizens:

I am again called upon by the voice of my country to execute the functions of its Chief Magistrate. When the occasion proper for it shall arrive, I shall endeavor to express the high sense I entertain of this distinguished honor, and of the confidence which has been reposed in me by the people of united America.

Previous to the execution of any official act of the President the Constitution requires an oath of office. This oath I am now about to take, and in your presence: That if it shall be found during my administration of the Government I have in any instance violated willingly or knowingly the injunctions thereof, I may (besides incurring constitutional punishment) be subject to the upbraidings of all who are now witnesses of the present solemn ceremony.
 

 

April 22, 1793 — And here is Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality.



George Washington wrote his
 Farewell Address, which had been carefully edited by  Alexander Hamilton, and dated it September 17, 1796.

On September 19, 1796, the address was printed in Philadelphia’s American Daily Advertiser.


Washington died less than three years after his retirement. The cause of his death is disputed. Some say he died of a throat infection, others say of pneumonia or extensive bloodletting.


Washington was followed by
 John Adams, who became the Second President of the United States in 1797.

 

Martha Washington, 1731 - 1802
THE FIRST FIRST LADY
MARTHA WASHINGTON



 

George Washington's Timeline

1732 February 22 - Birth at Wakefield Farm, Virginia

1748 Assistant surveyor for Lord Fairfax

1749 Official surveyor for Culpeper County

1751 Voyage to Barbados with half-brother Lawrence

1752 Joins Virginia militia

1755 Commander of all Virginia troops

1758 Burgess for Frederick County

1760 Justice Of The Peace for Fairfax County

1775 April 20 - 1776 March 17 - Siege of Boston

1775 July - Commander in Chief of the Continental Army

1784 - Has Lafayette over for tea

1789 President of the United States

1797 Return to Mount Vernon

1798 Commander in Chief of the American armies

1799 December 14 - Death at Mount Vernon, Virginia


 

The President's House

 As the White House wasn't ready for occupancy until November 1800, George lived here in Philadelphia.

 

Capitals of the United States

The first capital of the United States was New York (until 1790). The second capital was Philadelphia (until 1800). The third capital was and still is Washington in the District of Columbia.

Check the  US Election Map 1796 - 1968.

Check  Governments in History Chart.


 

 

And here is the  George Washington timeline.

See also the American Timeline.

 

 

 

More History



Previous Page

George W. Bush
 


Back to

First Page

Back to
People in History
Main Page

 



Next Page

Georges Clemenceau
 


 



People in History A - Z
 

 

People in History by Group


Explorers, Scientists & Inventors

Musicians, Painters & Artists

Poets, Writers & Philosophers

Native Americans & The Wild West

First Ladies

Popes

Troublemakers

Historians

Archaeologists

Royal Families

Tribes & Peoples

 



King John of England 1167-1216

 

Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible 1530 - 1584

 

Adolf Hitler 1889 - 1945

 

 

Famous Speeches in History
Browse the speech archive:

Speeches by Topic A-Z

Speeches by Speaker A-Z

Speeches in Chronological Order

Speeches Given by Women

Speeches Given by African-Americans

Speeches Given by U.S. Presidents





Wars, Battles & Revolutions in History




 

Online History Dictionary A - Z

Online History Dictionary A - Z

 


Greco-Persian Wars
Also called the Persian Wars, the Greco-Persian Wars were fought for almost half a century from 492 to 449 BC. Greece won against enormous odds. Here is more:

Battle of Marathon
Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Salamis
Battle of Plataea


 


HISTORY

Mexican Revolution

The Mexican Revolution


Check out the
Timelines of the Mexican Revolution

Mexico's transition from dictatorship to constitutional republic translated into ten messy years of skirmishing in Mexican history.

More from the Mexican Revolution:

Pancho Villa

Emiliano Zapata

Francisco I. Madero

Causes of the Mexican Revolution

Women in the Mexican Revolution

Summary of the Mexican Revolution

 

The Ancient Greeks in a Nutshell

 

Fall of the Bastille - July 14, 1789

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

French Revolution - Its Causes, Its Victims, Its Effects

     
 


People in History

People in History A

People in History B

People in History Ca - Char

People in History Chas - Cz

People in History D

People in History E

People in History F

People in History G

People in History H

People in History I

People in History J - K

People in History L

People in History M

People in History N - O

People in History P - Q

People in History R

People in History S

People in History T

People in History U - Z


Explorers, Scientists & Inventors

Musicians, Painters & Artists


Poets, Writers & Philosophers

Native Americans & The Wild West

First Ladies

Popes

Troublemakers

Historians

Archaeologists

Royal Families

Tribes & Peoples

 


Wars, Battles & Revolutions

Wars & Revolutions A

Wars & Revolutions B - E

Wars & Revolutions F - G

Wars & Revolutions H - J

Wars & Revolutions K - O

Wars & Revolutions P - R

Wars & Revolutions S - Z

Wars & Revolutions Chronological

Battles A - C

Battles D - G

Battles H - L


Battles M - P

Battles Q - Z

Battles Ancient Times - 1499

Battles 1500 - 1699

Battles 1700 - 1799

Battles 1800 - 1899

Battles 1900 - Today
 


Miscellaneous

History Dictionary A - F

History Dictionary G - Z

Source Text - By Title

Source Text - By Author

Historic Documents A - K

Historic Documents L - Z

Historic Documents Chronological

Music in History

History Movies

Research

Bored?

Kids & History

Browse

About Us

Write Me

 


Sitemaps

Sitemap 01   Sitemap 02   Sitemap 03    Sitemap 04   Sitemap 05   Sitemap 06  
Sitemap 07   Sitemap 08   Sitemap 09    Sitemap 10   Sitemap 11   Sitemap 12
Sitemap 13   Sitemap 14   Sitemap 15    Sitemap 16   Sitemap 17   Sitemap 18
Sitemap 19   Sitemap 20   Sitemap 21    Sitemap 22   Sitemap 23   Sitemap 24


Site Search

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL

 

© 2016 Emerson Kent