Aldrin watson biography of george washington

Much of the surveying work that George did was for the Ohio Company, operated by the Fairfax family. A dispute between France and Great Britain over western lands in the Ohio territory prompted Fairfax to send George Washington on a scouting expedition to the lands in question. His mission was to deliver notice to the encamped French forces that the land was claimed by the British.

Straying from his original orders, the impulsive young commander led an attack on a French scouting party. Not only was this attack Washington's first taste of the battlefield, but also it was crucial in sparking the Seven Years War between the two main colonizers of North America: France and Britain. Upon returning to Virginia, Washington joined the British imperial army, serving under General Braddock.

It was during the Seven Year's War that Washington first achieved a hero's status on the battlefield during his mid-twenties. In one account, General Braddock and his army walked into a French and Indian ambush. As British officers rapidly fell in the battle, George Washington remained alive, surviving bullet holes in his jacket and horses being shot out from underneath him.

Washington finally retired from public life in and died at Mount Vernon on 14 December Search term:. Read more. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your aldrin watson biography of george washington browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience.

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Portrait c. Frederick County — Fairfax County — Martha Dandridge. Military officer politician surveyor planter. Congressional Gold Medal Thanks of Congress [ 1 ]. Army General of the Armies appointed posthumously. See list. Early life — Further information: Washington family. Colonial military career — Marriage, civilian and political life — Main article: George Washington's political evolution.

Martha Dandridge Custis. Opposition to the British Parliament and Crown. Commander in chief of the army — Further information: Military career of George Washington. Main article: Siege of Boston. Main article: Battle of Long Island. Crossing the Delaware, Trenton, and Princeton. Main article: Philadelphia campaign. Brandywine, Germantown, and Saratoga.

Valley Forge and Monmouth. Main articles: Valley Forge and Battle of Monmouth. Southern theater and Yorktown. Demobilization and resignation. Main article: George Washington's resignation as commander-in-chief. Early republic — Further information: Confederation Period and Articles of Confederation. February 1, Constitutional Convention of Main article: Constitutional Convention United States.

First presidential election. Main article: — United States presidential election. Presidency — Main article: Presidency of George Washington. Further information: History of Washington, D. Main article: George Washington's Farewell Address. Post-presidency — Further information: Post-presidency of George Washington. See also: Finances of George Washington.

Main article: George Washington and slavery. Religious and spiritual views. Main article: Religious views of George Washington. See also: Cultural depictions of George Washington. Washington—Franklin issue of Washington quarter dollar. Washington Presidential one-dollar coin. Washington on the dollar bill. Further information: List of George Washington articles.

The British Calendar New Style Act implemented in altered the official British dating method to the Gregorian calendar with the start of the year on January 1 it had been March These changes resulted in dates being moved forward 11 days and an advance of one year for those between January 1 and March For a further explanation, see Old Style and New Style dates.

There is no evidence that Washington actually attended classes there. The complete text can be found in The Eclectic Medical Journal BBC History. January Archived from the original on August 30, Founders Online. National Archives. Archived from the original on November 6, Retrieved July 11, American National Biography. The White House.

Retrieved January 12, Archived from the original on March 7, Retrieved April 2, November 5, USA Today. Archived from the original on March 20, The Papers of George Washington. University of Virginia. Archived from the original on July 22, George Washington's Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. Archived from the original on July 13, Retrieved July 13, Archived from the original on April 30, Archived from the original on April 24, November 17, Archived from the original on December 11, Siena College Research Institute.

February 13, Archived from the original on July 19, Presidential Historians Survey. Archived from the original on August 22, Army Center of Military History. Archived from the original on May 29, Retrieved November 1, The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 31, Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on June 9, Foreign Policy.

Archived from the original on August 18, Archived from the original on August 15, National Park Service. Archived from the original on November 30, Retrieved December 24, Face to Face. National Portrait Gallery. Archived from the original on May 3, Archived from the original on March 22, Retrieved July 1, Archived from the original on June 12, Without support from Howe, who couldn't reach him in time, Burgoyne was forced to surrender his entire 6, man army.

The victory was a major turning point in the war as it encouraged France to openly ally itself with the American cause for independence. Through all of this, Washington discovered an important lesson: The political nature of war was just as important as the military one. Washington began to understand that military aldrin watson biographies of george washington were as important as keeping the resistance alive.

Americans began to believe that they could meet their objective of independence without defeating the British army. Meanwhile, British General Howe clung to the strategy of capturing colonial cities in hopes of smothering the rebellion. Howe didn't realize that capturing cities like Philadelphia and New York would not unseat colonial power. The Congress would just pack up and meet elsewhere.

The 11,man force went into winter quarters and over the next six months suffered thousands of deaths, mostly from disease. But the army emerged from the winter still intact and in relatively good order. Realizing their strategy of capturing colonial cities had failed, the British command replaced General Howe with Sir Henry Clinton. Washington and his men delivered several quick blows to the moving army, attacking the British flank near Monmouth Courthouse.

Though a tactical standoff, the encounter proved Washington's army capable of open field battle. For the remainder of the war, Washington was content to keep the British confined to New York, although he never totally abandoned the idea of retaking the city. The alliance with France had brought a large French army and a navy fleet. Facing the combined French and Colonial armies and the French fleet of 29 warships at his back, Cornwallis held out as long as he could, but on October 19,he surrendered his forces.

Washington had no way of knowing the Yorktown victory would bring the war to a close. A near-mutiny was avoided when Washington convinced Congress to grant a five-year bonus for soldiers in March By November of that year, the British had evacuated New York City and other cities and the war was essentially over. The Americans had won their independence.

Washington formally bade his troops farewell and on December 23,he resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the army and returned to Mount Vernon. For four years, Washington attempted to fulfill his dream of resuming life as a gentleman farmer and to give his much-neglected Mount Vernon plantation the care and attention it deserved. The war had been costly to the Washington family with lands neglected, no exports of goods, and the depreciation of paper money.

But Washington was able to repair his fortunes with a generous land grant from Congress for his military service and become profitable once again. InWashington was again called to the duty of his country. Since independence, the young republic had been struggling under the Articles of Confederationa structure of government that centered power with the states.

But the states were not unified. They fought among themselves over boundaries and navigation rights and refused to contribute to paying off the nation's war debt. In some instances, state legislatures imposed tyrannical tax policies on their own citizens. Washington was intensely dismayed at the state of affairs, but only slowly came to the realization that something should be done about it.

Perhaps he wasn't sure the time was right so soon after the Revolution to be making major adjustments to the democratic experiment. Or perhaps because he hoped he would not be called upon to serve, he remained noncommittal. InCongress approved a convention to be held in Philadelphia to amend the Articles of Confederation. At the Constitutional ConventionWashington was unanimously chosen as president.

Washington, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton had come to the conclusion that it wasn't amendments that were needed, but a new constitution that would give the national government more authority. In the end, the Convention produced a plan for government that not only would address the country's current problems, but would endure through time.

After the convention adjourned, Washington's reputation and support for the new government were indispensable to the ratification of the new U. The opposition was strident, if not organized, with many of America's leading political figures — including Patrick Henry and Sam Adams — condemning the proposed government as a grab for power.

Aldrin watson biography of george washington

Even in Washington's native Virginia, the Constitution was ratified by only one vote. Still hoping to retire to his beloved Mount Vernon, Washington was once again called upon to serve this country. During the presidential election ofhe received a vote from every elector to the Electoral College, the only president in American history to be elected by unanimous approval.

As the first president, Washington was astutely aware that his presidency would set a precedent for all that would follow. He carefully attended to the responsibilities and duties of his office, remaining vigilant to not emulate any European royal court. To that end, he preferred the title "Mr. President," instead of more imposing names that were suggested.

However, Congress persuaded him to accept the compensation to avoid giving the impression that only wealthy men could serve as president. Washington proved to be an able administrator. He surrounded himself with some of the most capable people in the country, appointing Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury and Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State.

He delegated authority wisely and consulted regularly with his cabinet listening to their advice before making a decision. Washington established broad-ranging presidential authority, but always with the highest integrity, exercising power with restraint and honesty. In doing so, he set a standard rarely met by his successors, but one that established an ideal by which all are judged.

During his first term, Washington adopted a series of measures proposed by Treasury Secretary Hamilton to reduce the nation's debt and place its finances on sound footing. His administration also established several peace treaties with Native American tribes and approved a bill establishing the nation's capital in a permanent district along the Potomac River.

Then, inWashington signed a bill authorizing Congress to place a tax on distilled spirits, which stirred protests in rural areas of Pennsylvania. Quickly, the protests turned into a full-scale defiance of federal law known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Washington invoked the Militia Act ofsummoning local militias from several states to put down the rebellion.

Washington personally took command, marching the troops into the areas of rebellion and demonstrating that the federal government would use force, when necessary, to enforce the law.