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{{pp-semi-protected|small=yes}} {{otheruses}} {{Infobox_President | name=George Washington | nationality= American | image=George-Washington.jpg | wh image=Gw1.gif | order=1st [[President of the United States]] | term_start=[[April 30]] [[1789]] | term_end=[[March 4]] [[1797]] | vicepresident=[[John Adams]] | predecessor=''None''¹ | successor=[[John Adams]] | order2=[[Continental Army|Commander-in-Chief <br /> of the Continental Army]] | term_start2=[[June 15]], [[1775]] | term_end2=[[December 23]], [[1783]] | predecessor2=''None'' | successor2=[[Henry Knox]]² | birth_date={{birth date|1732|2|22|mf=y}} | birth_place=[[Westmoreland County, Virginia|Westmoreland County]], [[Colony of Virginia]], [[British America]] | death_date={{death date and age|1799|12|14|1732|2|22}} | death_place=[[Mount Vernon]], [[Virginia]], [[United States]] | Political Party=[[Federalist|United States Federalist Party]] | spouse=[[Martha Washington|Martha Dandridge Custis Washington]] | political party=[[Federalist]] (informally) | religion=[[Church of England]]/[[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal]] | occupation=[[Farmer]] ([[Plantation|Planter]]), [[Soldier]] ([[General Officer|General]]) | signature=George Washington signature.png | footnotes= 1 <small>See [[President of the Continental Congress|President of the United States, in Congress Assembled]]</small> <br /> 2 <small>General Knox served as the [[Commanding General of the United States Army|Senior Officer of the United States Army]]</small> }} '''George Washington''' ([[February 22]], [[1732]]<ref name=calendar>The birth and death of George Washington are given using the [[Gregorian calendar]]. However, he was born when Britain and her colonies still used the Julian calendar, so contemporary records record his birth as [[February 11]], 1731-32. The provisions of the [[Calendar (New Style) Act 1750]], implemented in 1752, altered the official British dating method to the Gregorian calendar with the start of the year on [[January 1]].</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/hh/26/hh26f.htm|title=George Washington Birthplace National Monument|publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=2008-01-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Image of page from family Bible|url=http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/project/faq/bible.html|publisher=Papers of George Washington|accessdate=2008-01-26}}</ref> &ndash; [[December 14]], [[1799]]) was the first [[President of the United States|President]] of the [[United States]], (1789&ndash;1797),<ref>Under the Articles of Confederation Congress called its presiding officer "President of the United States in Congress Assembled." He had no executive powers, but the similarity of titles has confused people into thinking there were other presidents before Washington. Merrill Jensen, ''The Articles of Confederation'' (1959), 178-9</ref> after leading the [[Continental Army]] to victory over the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] in the [[American Revolutionary War]] (1775&ndash;1783). Washington was chosen to be the [[Commander-in-chief#United States|commander-in-chief]] of the American revolutionary forces in 1775. The following year, he forced the [[Boston campaign#Siege ends|British out of Boston]], but was defeated when he [[New York and New Jersey campaign#Capture of New York|lost New York City]] later that year. He revived the patriot cause, however, by crossing the [[Delaware River]] [[New York and New Jersey campaign#Washington's counterstrike|in New Jersey and defeating the surprised enemy units]]. As a result of his strategy, Revolutionary forces captured the two main British combat armies — [[Battle of Saratoga|Saratoga]] and [[Siege of Yorktown|Yorktown]]. Negotiating with Congress, the colonial states, and [[Early Modern France|French allies]], he held together a tenuous army and a fragile nation amid the threats of disintegration and failure. Following the end of the war in 1783, Washington retired to his plantation on [[Mount Vernon, Virginia|Mount Vernon]]. Alarmed in the late 1780s at the many weaknesses of the new nation under the [[Articles of Confederation]], he presided over the [[Philadelphia Convention]] that drafted the [[United States Constitution]] in 1787. Washington became President of the United States in 1789 and established many of the customs and usages of the [[Federal government of the United States|new government's]] executive department. He sought to create a great nation capable of surviving in a world torn asunder by war between Britain and France. His unilateral [[Proclamation of Neutrality]] of 1793 provided a basis for [[United States non-interventionism|avoiding any involvement in foreign conflicts]]. He supported plans to build a strong [[central government]] by funding the [[Government debt|national debt]], implementing an [[Taxation in the United States|effective tax system]], and creating a [[national bank]]. Washington avoided the temptation of war and began a decade of peace with Britain via the [[Jay Treaty]] in 1795; he used his prestige to get it ratified over intense opposition from the [[Democratic-Republican Party|Jeffersonians]]. Although never officially joining the [[Federalist Party (United States)|Federalist Party]], he supported its programs and was its inspirational leader. Washington's [[George Washington's Farewell Address|farewell address]] was a primer on republican virtue and a stern warning against involvement in foreign wars. Washington is seen as a symbol of the United States and [[Republicanism in the United States|republicanism]] in practice.<ref name = Stazesky >{{cite web| last = Stazesky| first = Richard C.| title = George Washington, Genius in Leadership| work = The Papers of George Washington| publisher = Alderman Library, University of Virginia| date = February 22, 2000| url = http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/articles/stazesky.html| accessdate = 2007-10-07 }}</ref> His devotion to [[Classical republicanism|civic virtue]] made him an exemplary figure among early [[Politics of the United States|American politicians]].<ref name = Stazesky/><ref>Garrity, Patrick (Fall, 1996). [http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/garrity.htm "Warnings of a Parting Friend (US Foreign Policy Envisioned by George Washington in his Farewell Address)."] ''The National Interest'', No. 45. Retrieved on [[October 6]], [[2007]].</ref> Washington died in 1799, and in his funeral oration, [[Henry Lee III|Henry Lee]] said that of all Americans, he was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Washington has been consistently ranked by scholars as one of the [[Historical rankings of United States Presidents|greatest U.S. Presidents]]. ==Early life== {{main|George Washington's early life}} [[Image:Gwstatue waterford.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Washington presents message at Fort Le Boeuf in 1753]] George Washington was born on {{OldStyleDateDY|February 22|1732|[[February 11]],[[1731]]}}<ref name=calendar/> the first son of [[Augustine Washington]] and his second wife, [[Mary Ball Washington]], on the family's [[George Washington Birthplace National Monument|Pope's Creek Estate]] near present-day [[Colonial Beach, Virginia|Colonial Beach]] in [[Westmoreland County, Virginia]]. He was educated in the home by his father and older brother.<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON">Bell, William Gardner; COMMANDING GENERALS AND CHIEFS OF STAFF: 1775-2005; Portraits & Biographical Sketches of the United States Army's Senior Officer: 1983, CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY; UNITED STATES ARMY; WASHINGTON, D.C.: ISBN 0–16–072376–0 : pp 52 & 66 </ref> In his youth, Washington worked as a [[Surveying|surveyor]], and acquired what would become invaluable knowledge of the terrain around his native state of [[History of Virginia|Virginia]].<ref>At the time Virginia included [[West Virginia]] and the upper [[Ohio Valley]] area around present day [[Pittsburgh]].</ref> Washington embarked upon a career as a planter and in 1748 was invited to help survey [[Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron|Baron Fairfax's]] lands west of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains|Blue Ridge]]. In 1749, he was appointed to his first public office, surveyor of newly created [[Culpeper County, Virginia|Culpeper County]],<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/><ref>"[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gwmaps.html Washington As Public Land Surveyor: Boyhood and Beginnings]" George Washington: Surveyor and Mapmaker. American Memory. Library of Congress. Retrieved on [[May 17]] [[2007]].</ref> and through his half-brother, [[Lawrence Washington (1718-1752)|Lawrence Washington]], he became interested in the [[Ohio Company]], which aimed to exploit Western lands. In 1751, George and his half-brother travelled to [[Barbados]], staying at Bush Hill House, hoping for an improvement in Lawrence's tuberculosis. This was the only time George Washington travelled outside what is now the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.georgewashingtonbarbados.org/ |title=George Washington House Restoration Project in Barbados |accessdate=2008-01-21 }}</ref> After Lawrence's death in 1752, George inherited part of his estate and took over some of Lawrence's duties as [[adjutant]] of the colony.<ref>"[http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/gw/leader.html George Washington: Making of a Military Leader]". American Memory. Library of Congress. Retrieved on [[May 17]] [[2007]].</ref> Washington was appointed a district [[adjutant general]] in the Virginia militia in 1752,<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> which made him Major Washington at the age of 20. He was charged with training the militia in the quarter assigned him.<ref>Sparks, Jared (1839). [http://books.google.com/books?id=dBQOAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA17 The Life of George Washington]". Boston: Ferdinand Andrews. p. 17. Digitized by Google. Retrieved on [[May 17]] [[2007]].</ref> At age 21, in [[Fredericksburg, Virginia|Fredericksburg]], Washington became a Master Mason in the organization of [[Freemasonry|Freemasons]], a fraternal organization that was a lifelong influence.<ref>Tabbert, Mark A. ([[January 29]] [[2007]]). "[http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/tabbert1.html A Masonic Memorial to a Virtuous Man]". Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry. Retrieved on [[May 17]] [[2007]].</ref><ref>Washington Daylight Lodge #14 (2006). "[http://www.washingtondaylight.org/news/GW-Birthday-Speech.pdf Commemoration of George Washington’s Birthday]". Retrieved on [[August 21]] [[2007]].</ref>[[Image:Washington Statue West Point Close.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Memorial to Washington at the [[United States Military Academy]].]] In December 1753, Washington was detailed by Governor [[Robert Dinwiddie]] of Virginia to carry a British ultimatum to the French on the [[Ohio]] frontier.<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> Washington assessed French military strength and intentions, and to delivered the message to the French at [[Fort Le Boeuf]] in present day [[Waterford, Pennsylvania]]. The message, which went unheeded, called for the French to abandon their development of the Ohio country, setting in motion two colonial powers toward worldwide conflict. Washington's report on the affair was widely read on both sides of the Atlantic. ==French and Indian War (Seven Years War)== {{main|George Washington in the French and Indian War}} [[Image:Washington 1772.jpg|thumb|upright|The earliest known portrait of Washington, painted in 1772 by [[Charles Willson Peale]], showing Washington in uniform as colonel of the Virginia Regiment.]] In 1754, Dinwiddie commissioned Washington a [[Lieutenant Colonel|lieutenant colonel]] and ordered him to lead an expedition to [[Fort Duquesne]] to drive out the French.<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> With his [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] allies led by [[Tanacharison]], Washington and his troops ambushed a French scouting party of some 30 men, led by [[Joseph Coulon de Jumonville]].<ref>Fred Anderson, ''Crucible of War'' (Vintage Books, 2001), p. 6.</ref> Washington and his troops were overwhelmed at [[Fort Necessity National Battlefield|Fort Necessity]] by a larger and better positioned French and Indian force. The terms of surrender included a statement that Washington had assassinated the scouts and their leader at the [[Battle of Jumonville Glen]]. Released by the French, Washington returned to Virginia, where he resigned rather than accept demotion. In 1755, Washington was an aide to British General [[Edward Braddock]] on the ill-fated [[Monongahela]] expedition.<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> This was a major effort to retake the Ohio Country. While Braddock was killed and the expedition ended in disaster, Washington distinguished himself as the Hero of the Monongahela.<ref>On British attitudes see John Shy, ''Numerous and Armed: Reflections on the Military Struggle for American Independence'' (1990) p. 39; Douglas Edward Leach. ''Roots of Conflict: British Armed Forces and Colonial Americans, 1677-1763'' (1986) p. 106; and John Ferling. ''Setting the World Ablaze: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and the American Revolution'' (2002) p. 65</ref> While Washington's role during the battle has been debated, biographer [[Joseph Ellis]] asserts that Washington rode back and forth across the battlefield, rallying the remnant of the British and Virginian forces to a retreat.<ref>[[Joseph J. Ellis|Ellis, Joseph J.]] ''[[His Excellency: George Washington]]''. (2004) ISBN 1-4000-4031-0.</ref> Subsequent to this action, Washington was given a difficult frontier command in the Virginia mountains, and was rewarded by being promoted to [[colonel]] and named commander of all Virginia forces.<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> In 1758, Washington participated as a [[Brigadier General|brigadier general]] in the [[John Forbes (general)|Forbes expedition]] that prompted French evacuation of [[Fort Duquesne]], and British establishment of [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]].<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> Later that year, Washington resigned from active military service and spent the next sixteen years as a Virginia planter and politician.<ref>For negative treatments of Washington's excessive ambition and military blunders, see Bernhard Knollenberg, ''George Washington: The Virginia Period, 1732–1775'' (1964) and Thomas A. Lewis, ''For King and Country: The Maturing of George Washington, 1748–1760'' (1992).</ref> ==Between the wars== {{main|George Washington between the wars}} {{Wikisource|Journal of George Washington}} [[Image:Martha Dandridge Custis.jpg|thumb|upright|A [[mezzotint]] of Martha Dandridge Custis, based on a 1757 portrait by John Wollaston.]] George Washington was introduced to [[Martha Washington|Martha Dandridge Custis]], a widow who was living at the [[White House, Virginia|White House Plantation]] on the south shore of the [[Pamunkey River]] in [[New Kent County, Virginia]], by friends of Martha when George was on leave from the French and Indian War. George only visited her home twice before proposing marriage to her 3 weeks after they met. George and Martha were each 27 years old when they married on [[January 6]] [[1759]] at her home, known as The White House, which shared its name with the future [[White House|presidential mansion]]. The newlywed couple moved to Mount Vernon, where he took up the [[Tuckahoe-Cohee|tuckahoe]] life of a genteel planter and political figure. They had a good marriage, and together they raised her two children by her previous marriage to [[Daniel Parke Custis]], [[John Parke Custis]] and Martha Parke Custis, affectionately called "Jackie" and "Patsy."<ref>Martha married Daniel Parke Custis on [[May 15]] [[1750]] when she was 18. Daniel died on [[July 26]] [[1757]]. Martha had four children with Custis: *Daniel Parke Custis: Daniel was born in 1751. He died when he was 3 in 1754. *Frances Parke Custis: Frances was born in 1753. She died when she was 4 in 1757. *Martha Parke Custis ("Patsy"): Patsy was born in 1756 and died when she was 17 of an epileptic seizure on [[June 19]] [[1773]]. She is buried at Mount Vernon. *[[John Parke Custis]] ("Jacky"): Jacky was born on [[November 27]] [[1754]]. He died at Yorktown at 26 years of age on [[November 5]] [[1781]] of "camp fever" (typhoid fever) while he was serving as an aide to George.</ref> George and Martha never had any children together — an earlier bout with [[smallpox]] followed by [[tuberculosis]] may have left him sterile.<ref>John K. Amory, M.D., "George Washington’s infertility: Why was the father of our country never a father?" ''Fertility and Sterility'', Vol. 81, No. 3, March 2004. [http://www.asrm.org/Professionals/Fertility&Sterility/georgewashington.pdf (online, PDF format)]</ref> Later the Washingtons raised two of Mrs. Washington's grandchildren, [[Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis|Eleanor Parke Custis]] ("Nelly") and [[George Washington Parke Custis]] ("Washy") after their father died in 1781.<ref>George and Martha had seven grandchildren from Martha's biological children. *Baby girl Custis, died in 1775. *Eliza Parke Custis was born on [[August 21]] [[1776]] at Mount Airy Plantation in Maryland. She married an Englishman, Thomas Law, on [[March 21]] [[1796]] at her mother and stepfather's home, Hope Park Plantation, Virginia. *Martha Parke "Patty" Custis was born on [[December 3]] [[1777]] at Mount Vernon. On [[January 6]] [[1795]], she married Thomas Peter at her mother and stepfather's home, Hope Park Plantation, Virginia. *Eleanor "Nelly" Parke Custis. She was born on [[March 21]] [[1779]]. She married Lawrence Lewis, George's nephew, on [[February 22]] [[1799]] at Mount Vernon. She died in 1852. *George Washington "Washy, Wash, or Tub" Parke Custis. He was born on [[April 30]] [[1781]]. He remained at Mount Vernon after his mother's second marriage. He died in 1857. *Two set of twins died at birth.</ref> Washington's marriage to a wealthy widow greatly increased his property holdings and social standing. He acquired one-third of the 18,000 acre (73&nbsp;km²) Custis estate upon his marriage, and managed the remainder on behalf of Martha's children. He frequently purchased additional land in his own name, and was granted land in what is now [[West Virginia]] as a bounty for his service in the French and Indian War. By 1775, Washington had doubled the size of Mount Vernon to 6,500&nbsp;acres (26&nbsp;km²), with over 100 slaves. As a respected military hero and large landowner, he held local office and was elected to the Virginia provincial legislature, the [[House of Burgesses]], beginning in 1758,<ref>Acreage, slaves, and social standing: Joseph Ellis, ''His Excellency, George Washington'', pp. 41–42, 48.</ref> and he served as a justice of [[Fairfax County, Virginia| Fairfax]], and held court in [[Alexandria, Virginia]] between 1760 and 1774.<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> Washington first took a leading role in the growing colonial resistance in 1769, when he introduced a proposal drafted by his friend [[George Mason]] which called for Virginia to boycott imported English goods until the [[Townshend Acts]] were repealed. Parliament repealed the Acts in 1770. Washington also took an active interest in helping his fellow citizens. On [[September 21]], [[1771]] Washington wrote a letter to Neil Jameson on behalf of [[Jonathan Plowman Jr.]], a merchant from [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]] whose ship had been seized for exporting non-permitted items by the Boston Frigate, and requested his help toward recovery of Plowman's ship.<ref>John C. Fitzpatrick, ''The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799''</ref> Washington regarded the passage of the [[Intolerable Acts]] in 1774 as "an Invasion of our Rights and Privileges." In July 1774, he chaired the meeting at which the [[Fairfax Resolves]] were adopted, which called for, among other things, the convening of a [[Continental Congress]]. In August, he attended the [[Virginia Conventions|First Virginia Convention]], where he was selected as a delegate to the [[First Continental Congress]].<ref>Washington quoted in Ferling, p. 99.</ref> ==American Revolution== {{main|George Washington in the American Revolution}} [[Image:Portrait of George Washington.jpeg|thumb|right|upright|Portrait of George Washington in military uniform, painted by [[Rembrandt Peale]].]] After [[Battles of Lexington and Concord|fighting broke out]] in April 1775, Washington appeared at the [[Second Continental Congress]] in military uniform, signaling that he was prepared for war. Washington had the prestige, the military experience, the charisma and military bearing, the reputation of being a strong patriot, and he was supported by the South, especially Virginia. Although he did not explicitly seek the office of commander and even claimed that he was not equal to it, there was no serious competition. Congress created the [[Continental Army]] on [[1775-06-14]]; the next day, on the nomination of John Adams of [[Massachusetts]], Washington was appointed [[Major General]] and elected by Congress to be [[Commander-in-chief]].<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> Washington assumed command of the Continental Army in the field at [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]] in July 1775,<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> during the ongoing [[siege of Boston]]. Realizing his army's desperate shortage of gunpowder, Washington asked for new sources. British arsenals were raided (including some in the [[Caribbean]]) and some manufacturing was attempted; a barely adequate supply (about 2.5 million pounds) was obtained by the end of 1776, mostly from France.<ref>Orlando W. Stephenson, "The Supply of Gunpowder in 1776," ''American Historical Review'', Vol. 30, No. 2 (January 1925), pp. 271-281 in JSTOR</ref> Washington reorganized the army during the long standoff, and forced the British to withdraw by putting artillery on [[Fortification of Dorchester Heights|Dorchester Heights]] overlooking the city. The British [[Evacuation Day (Massachusetts)|evacuated Boston]] and Washington moved his army to [[New York City]]. Although negative toward the patriots in the Continental Congress, British newspapers routinely praised Washington's personal character and qualities as a military commander.<ref>Bickham, Troy O. "Sympathizing with Sedition? George Washington, the British Press, and British Attitudes During the American War of Independence." ''William and Mary Quarterly'' 2002 59(1): 101-122. ISSN 0043-5597 [http://historycooperative.press.uiuc.edu/cgi-bin/justtop.cgi?act=justtop&url=http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/wm/59.1/bickham.html Fulltext online in History Cooperative]</ref> Moreover, both sides of the aisle in Parliament found the American general's courage, endurance, and attentiveness to the welfare of his troops worthy of approbation and examples of the virtues they and most other Britons found wanting in their own commanders. Washington's refusal to become involved in politics buttressed his reputation as a man fully committed to the military mission at hand and above the factional fray. [[Image:HoudonWashingtonNPG.jpg|thumb|upright|Bust of Washington by [[Jean-Antoine Houdon]] based on a life mask cast in 1786.]] In August 1776, British General [[William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe|William Howe]] launched a massive naval and land campaign designed to seize New York and offer a negotiated settlement. The Continental Army under Washington engaged the enemy for the first time as an army of the newly-declared independent United States at the [[Battle of Long Island]], the largest battle of the entire war. This and several other British victories (despite some American victories at the [[Battle of Harlem Heights]] and elsewhere) sent Washington scrambling out of New York and across [[New Jersey]], leaving the future of the Continental Army in doubt. On the night of [[December 25]], [[1776]], Washington staged a [[Battle of Trenton|counterattack]], leading the American forces [[Washington's crossing of the Delaware River|across the Delaware River]] to capture nearly 1,000 [[Hessian]]s in [[Trenton, New Jersey]]. Washington was defeated at the [[Battle of Brandywine]] on [[September 11]], [[1777]]. On [[September 26]], Howe outmaneuvered Washington and marched into Philadelphia unopposed. Washington's army [[Battle of Germantown|unsuccessfully attacked]] the British garrison at [[Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Germantown]] in early October. Meanwhile Burgoyne, out of reach from help from Howe, was trapped and forced to [[Battle of Saratoga|surrender his entire army]] at [[Saratoga, New York]]. As a result of this battle, France entered the war as an open ally of the Americans, turning the Revolution into a major world-wide war. Washington's loss of Philadelphia prompted some members of Congress to discuss removing Washington from command. This [[Conway Cabal|episode]] failed after Washington's supporters rallied behind him.<ref>Fleming, T: "Washington's Secret War: the Hidden History of Valley Forge.", Smithsonian Books, 2005</ref> Washington's army encamped at [[Valley Forge]] in December 1777, where it stayed for the next six months. Over the winter, 2,500 men (out of 10,000) died from disease and exposure. The next spring, however, the army emerged from Valley Forge in good order, thanks in part to a full-scale training program supervised by [[Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben|Baron von Steuben]], a veteran of the Prussian general staff. The British evacuated Philadelphia in 1778 and returned to New York City. Meanwhile, Washington remained with his army outside New York, and in the summer of 1779, at Washington's direction, [[Sullivan Expedition|General John Sullivan]], in retaliation for Iroquois and Tory attacks against American settlements earlier in the war, carried out a decisive [[scorched earth]] campaign that destroyed at least forty Iroquois villages throughout what is now upstate New York. He delivered the final blow in 1781, after a [[Battle of the Chesapeake|French naval victory]] allowed American and French forces to trap a British army in Virginia. The [[siege of Yorktown|surrender at Yorktown]] on [[October 17]], [[1781]] marked the end of fighting. Though known for his successes in the war and of his life that followed, Washington only won three of the nine battles that he fought.<ref>Wuhl, Robert. ''Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl''. HBO Films, 2006</ref> [[Image:General George Washington Resigning his Commission.jpg|thumb|left|Depiction by [[John Trumbull]] of Washington resigning his commission as [[commander-in-chief]].]] In March 1783, Washington used his influence to disperse a [[Newburgh conspiracy|group of Army officers]] who had threatened to confront Congress regarding their back pay. The [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]] (signed that September) recognized the independence of the United States. Washington disbanded his army and, on [[November 2]], gave an eloquent farewell address to his soldiers.<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=mgw3&fileName=mgw3b/gwpage016.db&recNum=347 George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799: Series 3b Varick Transcripts]. Library of Congress. Accessed on May 22, 2006.</ref> On [[November 25]], the [[Evacuation Day (New York)|British evacuated New York City]], and Washington and the governor took possession. At [[Fraunces Tavern]] on [[December 4]], Washington formally bade his officers farewell and on [[December 23]], [[1783]], he resigned his commission as commander-in-chief, emulating the [[Cincinnatus|Roman general Cincinnatus]], an exemplar of the republican ideal of citizen leadership who rejected power. During this period, the United States was governed under the Articles of Confederation without a President; governmental organization was different from the present form. Washington's retirement to Mount Vernon was short-lived. He made an exploratory trip to the western frontier in 1784,<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> was persuaded to attend the Constitutional Convention in [[Philadelphia]] in the summer of 1787, and was unanimously elected president of the Convention. He participated little in the debates involved (though he did vote for or against the various articles), but his high prestige maintained collegiality and kept the delegates at their labors. The delegates designed the presidency with Washington in mind, and allowed him to define the office once elected. After the Convention, his support convinced many, including the Virginia legislature, to vote for ratification; the new [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] was ratified by all 13 states. ==Presidency: 1789–1797== {{main|Presidency of George Washington}} {{Infobox U.S. Cabinet |align=right |Name=Washington |President=George Washington |President start=1789 |President end=1797 |Vice President=[[John Adams]] |Vice President start=1789 |Vice President end=1797 |Foreign Affairs =[[John Jay]] |Foreign Affairs start=1789 |Foreign Affairs end=1790 |State =[[Thomas Jefferson]] |State start =1790 |State end =1793 |State 2=[[Edmund Randolph]] |State start 2=1794 |State end 2=1795 |State 3=[[Timothy Pickering]] |State start 3=1795 |State end 3=1797 |Treasury=[[Alexander Hamilton]] |Treasury start=1789 |Treasury end=1795 |Treasury 2=[[Oliver Wolcott, Jr.]] |Treasury start 2=1795 |Treasury end 2=1797 |War=[[Henry Knox]] |War start=1789 |War end=1794 |War 2=[[Timothy Pickering]] |War start 2=1795 |War end 2=1795 |War 3=[[James McHenry]] |War start 3=1796 |War end 3=1797 |Justice=[[Edmund Randolph]] |Justice start=1789 |Justice end=1794 |Justice 2=[[William Bradford (Attorney General)|William Bradford]] |Justice start 2=1794 |Justice end 2=1795 |Justice 3=[[Charles Lee (Attorney General)|Charles Lee]] |Justice start 3=1795 |Justice end 3=1797 }} [[Image:George Washington 1795.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Portrait by [[Gilbert Stuart]], 1795]] The [[United States Electoral College|Electoral College]] elected Washington unanimously in [[United States presidential election, 1789|1789]], and again in the [[United States presidential election, 1792|1792 election]]; he remains the only president to receive 100% of electoral votes. [[John Adams]] was elected [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]]. Washington took the [[Oath of office of the President of the United States|oath of office]] as the first President under the Constitution for the United States of America on [[April 30]], [[1789]] at [[Federal Hall]] in New York City although, at first, he had not wanted the position.<ref name="Morison">{{cite book|last=Morison|first=Samuel Eliot|title=The Oxford History of the American People, Vol. 2|publisher=Meridian|year=1972|chapter=Washington's First Administration: 1789-1793}}</ref> The [[1st United States Congress]] voted to pay Washington a salary of $25,000 a year — a large sum in 1789. Washington, already wealthy, declined the salary, since he valued his image as a selfless public servant. At the urging of Congress, however, he ultimately accepted the payment. A dangerous precedent could have been set otherwise, as the founding fathers wanted future presidents to come from a large pool of potential candidates — not just those citizens who could afford to do the work for free.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} Washington attended carefully to the pomp and ceremony of office, making sure that the titles and trappings were suitably republican and never emulated European royal courts. To that end, he preferred the title "Mr. President" to the more majestic names suggested.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} Washington proved an able administrator. An excellent delegator and judge of talent and character, he held regular cabinet meetings to debate issues before making a final decision. In handling routine tasks, he was "systematic, orderly, energetic, solicitous of the opinion of others but decisive, intent upon general goals and the consistency of particular actions with them."<ref> Leonard D. White, ''The Federalists: A Study in Administrative History'' (1948)</ref> Washington reluctantly served a second term as president. He refused to run for a third, establishing the customary policy of a maximum of two terms for a president which later became law by the [[Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution|22nd Amendment to the Constitution]].<ref>After [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Franklin Delano Roosevelt]] was elected to an unprecedented four terms, the two-term limit was formally integrated into the Federal Constitution by the 22nd Amendment.</ref> ===Domestic issues=== {|class="infobox" !States admitted to Union |- |[[North Carolina]] – [[November 21]], [[1789]] <small>12th state</small> |- |[[Rhode Island]] – [[May 29]], [[1790]] <small>13th state</small> |- |[[Vermont]] – [[May 4]], [[1791]] <small>14th state</small> |- |[[Kentucky]] – [[June 1]], [[1792]] <small>15th state</small> |- |[[Tennessee]] – [[June 1]], [[1796]] <small>16th state</small> |- |} Washington was not a member of any political party, and hoped that they would not be formed out of fear of the conflict and stagnation they could cause governance. His closest advisors, however, formed two factions, setting the framework for the future [[First Party System]]. Secretary of Treasury [[Alexander Hamilton]] had bold plans to establish the national credit and build a financially powerful nation, and formed the basis of the [[Federalist Party (United States)|Federalist Party]]. Secretary of State [[Thomas Jefferson]], founder of the [[Democratic-Republican Party|Jeffersonian Republicans]], strenuously opposed Hamilton's agenda, but Washington favored Hamilton over Jefferson. In 1791, Congress imposed an [[excise]] on distilled [[Distilled beverage|spirits]], which led to protests in frontier districts, especially Pennsylvania. By 1794, after Washington ordered the protesters to appear in [[United States district court|U.S. district court]], the protests turned into full-scale riots known as the [[Whiskey Rebellion]]. The federal army was too small to be used, so Washington invoked the [[Militia Act of 1792]] to summon the militias of Pennsylvania, Virginia and several other states. The governors sent the troops and Washington took command, marching into the rebellious districts.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hoover|first=Michael|url=http://www.ttb.gov/public_info/whisky_rebellion.shtml|title=The Whiskey Rebellion|accessdate=2007-10-19|date=|publisher=[[Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau|United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau]]}}</ref> There was no fighting, but Washington's forceful action proved the new government could protect itself. It also was one of only two times that a sitting President would personally command the military in the field. These events marked the first time under the new constitution that the federal government used strong military force to exert authority over the states and citizens. ===Foreign affairs=== [[Image:George Washington P1190516.jpg|thumb|upright|A statue of George Washington in the Place d'Iéna, [[Paris]], [[France]]]] In 1793, the revolutionary government of France sent diplomat [[Edmond-Charles Genêt]], called "Citizen Genêt," to America. Genêt issued [[letter of marque|letters of marque and reprisal]] to American ships so they could capture British merchant ships. He attempted to turn popular sentiment towards American involvement in the French war against Britain by creating a network of [[Democratic-Republican Societies]] in major cities. Washington rejected this interference in domestic affairs, demanded the French government recall Genêt, and denounced his societies. To normalize trade relations with Britain, remove them from western forts, and resolve financial debts left over from the Revolution, Hamilton and Washington designed the [[Jay Treaty]]. It was negotiated by [[John Jay]], and signed on [[November 19]] [[1794]]. The Jeffersonians supported France and strongly attacked the treaty. Washington and Hamilton, however, mobilized public opinion and won ratification by the Senate by emphasizing Washington's support. The British agreed to depart their forts around the [[Great Lakes]], the Canadian-U.S. boundary was adjusted, numerous pre-Revolutionary debts were liquidated, and the British opened their West Indies colonies to American trade. Most importantly, the treaty avoided war with Britain and instead brought a decade of prosperous trade with Britain. It angered the French and became a central issue in political debates. ===Supreme Court appointments=== George Washington appointed the following Justices to the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]]:<ref>"[http://www.supremecourtus.gov/about/about.html Supreme Court of the United States]". About The Court: Members of the Supreme Court (1789 to Present) (PDF). Retrieved on [[May 31]], [[2007]].</ref> * [[John Jay]] ([[Chief Justice of the United States|Chief Justice]]) &ndash; 1789 * [[William Cushing]] ([[Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States|Associate Justice]]) &ndash; 1789 * [[John Rutledge]] (Associate Justice) &ndash; 1789 * [[James Wilson]] &ndash; 1789 * [[John Blair]] &ndash; 1789 * [[James Iredell]] &ndash; 1790 * [[Thomas Johnson (governor)|Thomas Johnson]] &ndash; 1792 * [[William Paterson (jurist)|William Paterson]] &ndash; 1793 * [[John Rutledge]] (Chief Justice) &ndash; 1795 * [[William Cushing]] (Chief Justice, disputed) &ndash; 1796 * [[Samuel Chase]] &ndash; 1796 * [[Oliver Ellsworth]] (Chief Justice) &ndash; 1796 ===Farewell Address=== [[Image:Washington bust - giuseppe ceracchi.JPG|thumb|right|upright|A bust of Washington by Giuseppe Ceracchi.]] [[George Washington's Farewell Address|Washington's Farewell Address]] (issued as a public letter in 1796) was one of the most influential statements of American political values.<ref> Matthew Spalding, ''The Command of its own Fortunes: Reconsidering Washington's Farewell address," in William D. Pederson, Mark J. Rozell, Ethan M. Fishman, eds. ''George Washington'' (2001) ch 2; Virginia Arbery, "Washington's Farewell Address and the Form of the American Regime." in Gary L. Gregg II and Matthew Spalding, eds. ''George Washington and the American Political Tradition.'' 1999 pp. 199-216.</ref> Drafted primarily by Washington himself, with help from Hamilton, it gives advice on the necessity and importance of national union, the value of the Constitution and the rule of law, the evils of political parties, and the proper virtues of a republican people. In the address, he called morality "a necessary spring of popular government." He said, "reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle" – making the point that the value of religion is for the benefit of society as a whole.<ref>"[http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel06.html Religion and the Federal Government]". Religion and the Founding of the American Republic. Library of Congress Exhibition. Retrieved on [[May 17]] [[2007]].</ref> Washington's public political address warned against foreign influence in domestic affairs and American meddling in European affairs. He warned against bitter partisanship in domestic politics and called for men to move beyond partisanship and serve the common good. He called for an America wholly free of foreign attachments, saying the United States must concentrate primarily on American interests. He counseled friendship and commerce with all nations, but warned against involvement in European wars and entering into long-term "entangling" alliances. The address quickly set American values regarding religion and foreign affairs. ==Retirement and death== After retiring from the presidency in March 1797, Washington returned to Mount Vernon with a profound sense of relief. He devoted much time to farming and, in that year, constructed a 2,250 square foot (75-by-30&nbsp;feet, 200&nbsp;m²) distillery, which was one of the largest in the new republic, housing five copper stills, a boiler and 50 mash tubs, at the site of one of his unprofitable farms. At its peak, two years later, the distillery produced 11,000&nbsp;gallons of corn and rye whiskey worth $7,500, and fruit brandy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/InTheNews/Etc/20060927205145.html|title=George Washington's Distillery}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= John |last= Fund |title= George Washington, whiskey entrepreneur |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=February 20, 2007}}</ref> On [[July 13]], [[1799]], Washington was appointed by President [[John Adams]] to be [[Lieutenant General]] and [[Commander-in-chief]] of all armies raised or to be raised for service in a prospective war with France. He served as the senior officer of the United States Army between [[July 13]], [[1798]] and [[December 14]], [[1799]]. He participated in the planning for a Provisional Army to meet any emergency that might arise, but did not take the field.<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> [[Image:Mtvernon1.jpg|thumb|right|Mount Vernon.]] On [[December 12]], [[1799]], Washington spent several hours inspecting his farms on horseback, in snow and later hail and freezing rain. He sat down to dine that evening without changing his wet clothes. The next morning, he awoke with a bad cold, fever and a throat infection called [[peritonsillar abscess|quinsy]] that turned into acute [[laryngitis]] and [[pneumonia]]. Washington died on the evening of [[December 14]], [[1799]], at his home aged 67, while attended by Dr. [[James Craik]], one of his closest friends, and [[Tobias Lear V]], Washington's personal secretary. Lear would record the account in his journal, writing that Washington's last words were ''Tis well.'' Modern doctors believe that Washington died largely because of his treatment, which included [[Mercury(I) chloride|calomel]] and [[bloodletting]], resulting in a combination of [[shock (medical)|shock]] from the loss of five pints of blood, as well as [[asphyxia]] and [[dehydration]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Vadakan, M.D. | first = Vibul V. | title = A Physician Looks At The Death of Washington | work = Early America Review | publisher = Archiving Early America | date = Winter/Spring 2005 | url = http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2005_winter_spring/washingtons_death.htm| accessdate = 2008-02-17 }}</ref> Washington's remains were buried at Mount Vernon. To protect their privacy, Martha Washington burned the correspondence between her husband and herself following his death. Only three letters between the couple have survived. During the [[United States Bicentennial]] year, George Washington was posthumously appointed to the grade of [[General of the Armies| General of the Armies of The United States]] by the congressional joint resolution [[s:Public Law 94-479|Public Law 94-479]] of [[January 19]], [[1976]], approved by President [[Gerald R. Ford]] on [[October 11]] [[1976]], and formalized in Department of the Army Order Number 31-3 of [[March 13]], [[1978]] with an effective appointment date of [[July 4]] [[1976]].<ref name="GEN WASHINGTON"/> This restored Washington's position as the highest ranking military officer in U.S. history, which had been undone when General [[John J. Pershing]] was made [[General of the Armies]] at the end of [[World War I]]. ==Legacy== {{main|George Washington's legacy}} {{Further|[[Cultural depictions of George Washington]]}} [[Image:Federal Hall NYC 27.JPG|thumb|upright|The statue of Washington outside Federal Hall in New York City, looking on Wall Street.]] Congressman Henry Lee, a Revolutionary War comrade and father of the Civil War general Robert E. Lee, famously eulogized Washington as: :First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in humble and enduring scenes of private life. Pious, just, humane, temperate, and sincere; uniform, dignified, and commanding; his example was as edifying to all around him as were the effects of that example lasting…Correct throughout, vice shuddered in his presence and virtue always felt his fostering hand. The purity of his private character gave effulgence to his public virtues…Such was the man for whom our nation mourns. Lee's words set the standard by which Washington's overwhelming reputation was impressed upon the American memory. Washington set many precedents for the national government and the presidency in particular. As early as 1778, Washington was lauded as the "[[Pater Patriae|Father of His Country]]."<ref>He has gained fame around the world as a quintessential example of a benevolent national founder. Gordon Wood concludes that the greatest act in his life was his resignation as commander of the armies—an act that stunned aristocratic Europe. Gordon Wood, ''The Radicalism of the American Revolution'' (1992), pp 105-6; Edmund Morgan, ''The Genius of George Washington'' (1980), pp 12-13; Sarah J. Purcell, ''Sealed With Blood: War, Sacrifice, and Memory in Revolutionary America'' (2002) p. 97; Don Higginbotham, ''George Washington'' (2004); Ellis, 2004. The earliest known image in which Washington is identified as such is on the cover of the circa 1778 [[Pennsylvania German]] almanac (Lancaster: Gedruckt bey Francis Bailey).</ref> He was upheld as a shining example in schoolbooks and lessons: as courageous and farsighted, holding the Continental Army together through eight hard years of war and numerous privations, sometimes by sheer force of will; and as restrained: at war's end taking affront at the notion he should be King; and after two terms as President, stepping aside. Washington manifested himself as the exemplar of republican virtue in America. More than any American he was extolled for his great personal integrity, and a deeply held sense of duty, honor and patriotism. He is seen more as a character model than war hero or founding father. One of Washington's greatest achievements, in terms of republican values, was refraining from taking more power than was due. He was conscientious of maintaining a good reputation by avoiding political intrigue. He rejected nepotism or cronyism. Jefferson observed, "The moderation and virtue of a single character probably prevented this Revolution from being closed, as most others have been, by a subversion of that liberty it was intended to establish."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/jefflett/let24.htm|title=Jefferson to Washington April 16, 1784|publisher=Avalon Project at Yale Law School|accessdate=2006-09-05}}</ref> ===Monuments and memorials=== [[Image:Sideview of George Washington Statue at Mt Rushmore.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Washington on Mount Rushmore]] [[Image:2006 Quarter Proof.png|thumb|Washington is commemorated on the [[Quarter (United States coin)|quarter]]]] [[Image:George Washigton Presidential $1 Coin obverse.png|thumb|Washington is also commemorated on the [[dollar (United States coin)|dollar coin]]]] Today, Washington's face and image are often used as national symbols of the United States, along with the icons such as the flag and great seal. Perhaps the most prominent commemoration of his legacy is the use of his image on the [[United States one-dollar bill|one-dollar bill]] and the [[Quarter (United States coin)|quarter-dollar coin]]. Washington, together with [[Theodore Roosevelt]], [[Thomas Jefferson]], and [[Abraham Lincoln]], is depicted in stone at the [[Mount Rushmore|Mount Rushmore Memorial]]. The [[Washington Monument]], one of the most well-known American landmarks, was built in his honor. The [[George Washington Masonic National Memorial]] in Alexandria, Virginia, constructed entirely with voluntary contributions from members of the [[Freemasonry|Masonic]] Fraternity, was also built in his honor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gwmemorial.org/|title=www.gwmemorial.org/}}</ref> Many things have been [[List of places named for George Washington|named in honor of Washington]]. Washington's name became that of the nation's capital, [[Washington, D.C.]], and the [[Washington|State of Washington]], the only state to be named after an American ([[Henrietta Maria of France|Maryland]], [[Virginia#Virginia Colony: 1607–1776|the Virginias]], [[Province of Carolina|the Carolinas]] and [[Georgia (U.S. state)#History|Georgia]] are named in honor of British monarchs). [[The George Washington University|George Washington University]] and [[Washington University in St. Louis]] were named for him, as was [[Washington and Lee University]] (once Washington Academy), which was renamed due to Washington’s large endowment in 1796. The [[Confederate Seal]] prominently featured George Washington on horseback, in the same position as a statue of him in [[Richmond, Virginia]]. ===Washington and slavery=== {{main|George Washington and slavery}} [[Image:Liquor Still Frankfort 489226997.jpg|right|thumb|George Washington had a small [[distillery]] at his house]] [[Image:Industrialhemp2.jpg|right|thumb|George Washington grew [[hemp]] as a crop on his plantation]] For most of his life, Washington operated his plantations as a typical Virginia slave owner. In the 1760s, he dropped tobacco (which was prestigious but unprofitable) and shifted to [[hemp]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.stanford.edu/~johnbrks/theCafe/substance/marijuana.html | title = marijuana | accessdate = 2007-12-14 | last = Brooks | first = John | date = 2000-02-10 | publisher = Stanford University School of Medicine | quote = As an aside, George Washington had large fields of cannabis on his plantation, which were used for fiber production.}}</ref> and [[wheat]] growing and diversified into milling flour, weaving cloth, and distilling brandy. By the time of his death, there were 317 slaves at Mount Vernon. Before the American Revolution, Washington expressed no moral reservations about slavery, but by 1778, he had stopped selling slaves without their consent because he did not want to break up slave families. In 1778, while Washington was at war, he wrote to his manager at Mount Vernon that he wished to sell his slaves and "to get quit of negroes" since maintaining a large (and increasingly elderly) slave population was not economically profitable. Washington could not legally sell the "dower slaves," however, and because these slaves had long intermarried with his own slaves, he could not sell his slaves without breaking up families.<ref>Slave raffle linked to Washington's reassessment of slavery: Wiencek, pp. 135–36, 178–88. Washington's decision to stop selling slaves: Fritz Hirschfeld, ''George Washington and Slavery: A Documentary Portrayal'', p. 16. Influence of war and Wheatley: Wiencek, ch 6. Dilemma of selling slaves: Wiencek, p. 230; Ellis, pp. 164–7; Hirschfeld, pp. 27–29.</ref> Washington was the only prominent, slaveholding Founding Father who succeeded at emancipating his slaves. He did not free his slaves in his lifetime, however, but instead included a provision in his will to free his slaves upon the death of his wife. Not all the slaves at his estate at Mt. Vernon were owned by him, his wife Martha owned a large number of slaves and Washington did not feel that he could unilaterally free slaves that came to Mt. Vernon from his wife's estate. His actions were influenced by his close relationship with [[Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette#Views on slavery|the Marquis de La Fayette]]. Martha Washington would free slaves to which she had title late in her own life. He did not speak out publicly against slavery, argues historian Dorothy Twohig, because he did not wish to risk splitting apart the young republic over what was already a sensitive and divisive issue.<ref>Twohig, "That Species of Property", pp. 127–28.</ref> ==Religious beliefs== {{main|George Washington and religion}} Washington was [[baptism|baptized]] into the [[Church of England]].<ref>Family Bible entry http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/hh/26/hh26f.htm</ref><ref>Image of page from family Bible http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/project/faq/bible.html</ref> In 1765, when the Church of England was still the [[state religion]],<ref>[http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/religion/religiondfn.cfm Colonial Williamsburg website] has several articles on religion in colonial Virginia</ref> he served on the [[vestry]] (lay council) for his local church. Throughout his life, he spoke of the value of righteousness, and of seeking and offering thanks for the "blessings of Heaven." In a letter to George Mason in 1785, Washington wrote that he was not among those alarmed by a bill "making people pay towards the support of that [religion] which they profess," but felt that it was "impolitic" to pass such a measure, and wished it had never been proposed, believing that it would disturb public tranquility.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://memory.loc.gov/mss/mgw/mgw2/012/2440242.jpg|title=George Washington to George Mason, 3 October 1785, LS|publisher=Library of Congress: American Memory|accessdate=2006-09-05}}</ref> His adopted daughter, Nelly Custis Lewis, stated: "I have heard her [Nelly's mother, Eleanor Calvert Custis, who resided in Mount Vernon for two years] say that General Washington always received the sacrament with my grandmother [Martha Washington] before the revolution."<ref>[http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/youasked/060.htm ushistory.org] [[Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis]]' letter written to [[Jared Sparks]], 1833</ref> After the revolution, Washington frequently accompanied his wife to Christian church services; however, there is no record of his ever taking communion, and he would regularly leave services before communion—with the other non-communicants (as was the custom of the day), until he ceased attending at all on communion Sundays. Prior to communion, believers are admonished to take stock of their spiritual lives and not to participate in the ceremony unless he finds himself in the will of God.<ref name=Steiner>{{cite web|url=http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/franklin_steiner/presidents.html#1|title=''The Religious Beliefs of Our Presidents'' by Franklin Steiner}}</ref><ref>[http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/youasked/060.htm] [[Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis]]' letter written to [[Jared Sparks]], 1833</ref> Historians and biographers continue to debate the degree to which he can be counted as a Christian, and the degree to which he was a [[deism|deist]]. He was an early supporter of [[religious toleration]] and [[freedom of religion]]. In 1775, he ordered that his troops not show anti-Catholic sentiments by burning the pope in [[effigy]] on [[Guy Fawkes Night]]. When hiring workmen for Mount Vernon, he wrote to his agent, "If they be good workmen, they may be from Asia, Africa, or Europe; they may be [[Mohammedan]]s, Jews, or Christians of any sect, or they may be Atheists."<ref name=Steiner>{{cite web|url=http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/franklin_steiner/presidents.html|title=www.infidels.org/library/historical/franklin_steiner/presidents.html}}</ref> In 1790, he wrote a response to a letter from the [[Touro Synagogue]], in which he said that as long as people remain good citizens, their faith does not matter. This was a relief to the Jewish community of the United States, since the Jews had been either expelled from or prejudiced against in many European countries. ==Personal life== [[Image:Gilbert Stuart 003.jpg|thumb|upright|In 1796, [[Gilbert Stuart]] painted this famous portrait of Washington from life, and then used the unfinished painting to create numerous others, including the image used on the [[United States one-dollar bill|U.S. one-dollar bill]].]] [[Image:GeorgeWashingtonAndNicolasMartiau.jpg|thumb|upright|Statue of George Washington, with a medallion of his French ancestor [[Nicolas Martiau]], born in [[Île de Ré]], [[France]]]] Though Washington had two children <ref>http://www.americanpresidents.org/presidents/president.asp?PresidentNumber=28</ref>, Bushrod Washington became an Associate Justice, and [[Burwell Bassett]] was a long-time congressman in both Virginia and the [[Federal government of the United States|United States government]]. Washington suffered from problems with his teeth throughout his life. He lost his first tooth when he was twenty-two and had only one left by the time he became President.<ref name="teeth">[[John Lloyd (writer)|Lloyd, J]] & [[John Mitchinson|Mitchinson, J]]: "[[The Book of General Ignorance]]". Faber & Faber, 2006.</ref> According to [[John Adams]], he lost them because he used them to crack Brazil nuts, although modern historians suggest it was probably the [[mercury(II) oxide|mercury oxide]] he was given to treat illnesses such as [[smallpox]] and [[malaria]].<ref name=teeth /> He had several sets of false teeth made, four of them by a dentist named John Greenwood.<ref name="teeth" /> Contrary to popular belief, none of the sets were made from wood. The set made when he became President was carved from hippopotamus and elephant ivory, held together with gold springs.<ref name="teeth" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.americanrevolution.org/dental.html | title=George Washington - A Dental Victim | accessdate=2006-06-30|author=Barbara Glover}}</ref> The hippo ivory was used for the plate, into which real human teeth and also bits of horses and donkeys teeth were inserted.<ref name="teeth" /> Dental problems left Washington in constant discomfort, for which he took [[laudanum]], and this distress may be apparent in many of the portraits painted while he was still in office, including the one still used on the $1 bill.<ref name="teeth" /> As a young man, Washington had red hair.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/articles/news/chicago.html |title=Taking a New Look at George Washington |accessdate=2007-09-28 |last=Homans |first=Charles |date=[[2004-10-06]] |work=The Papers of George Washington: Washington in the News |publisher=Alderman Library, University of Virginia }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |url= |title=Unmasking George Washington |accessdate=2007-09-28 |last=Ross |first=John F |date=October 2005 |year=2005 |publisher=Smithsonian Magazine }}</ref> A popular myth is that he wore a wig, as was the fashion among some at the time. Washington did not wear a wig; instead he powdered his hair,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mountvernon.org/visit/plan/index.cfm/pid/446/ | title=George Washington's Mount Vernon: Answers | accessdate=2006-06-30}}</ref> as represented in several portraits, including the well-known unfinished [[Gilbert Stuart]] depiction.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.npg.si.edu/cexh/stuart/athen1.htm | title=Smithsonian National Picture Gallery: George Washington (the Athenaeum portrait) | accessdate=2006-06-30 | author=Gilbert Stuart}}</ref> One of the most enduring myths about George Washington involves him as a young boy chopping down his father's cherry tree and, when asked about it, using the famous line "I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet." In fact, there is no evidence that this ever occurred.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/305/foundfathers.htm | title=Religious Liberalism and the Founding Fathers | author=Nicholas F. Gier, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho| date=1980 and 2005|accessdate=2007-12-11}}</ref> It, along with the story of Washington throwing a silver dollar across the [[Potomac River]] was part of a book of stories authored by [[Parson Weems|Mason Weems]] that made Washington somewhat of a legendary figure. ==See also== *[[American Revolution]] *[[Military career of George Washington]] *[[Town Destroyer]], a nickname given Washington by the [[Iroquois]] *[[Betty Washington]], his sister ==References: biographies== <div class="references-small"> *Buchanan, John. ''The Road to Valley Forge: How Washington Built the Army That Won the Revolution'' (2004). 368 pp. *Burns, James MacGregor and Dunn, Susan. ''George Washington.'' Times, 2004. 185 pp. explore leadership style *Cunliffe, Marcus. ''George Washington: Man and Monument'' (1958), explores both the biography and the myth *Grizzard, Frank E., Jr. ''George! A Guide to All Things Washington.'' Buena Vista and Charlottesville, VA: Mariner Publishing. 2005. ISBN 0-9768238-0-2. Grizzard is a leading scholar of Washington. *Hirschfeld, Fritz. ''George Washington and Slavery: A Documentary Portrayal''. University of Missouri Press, 1997. *[[Joseph J. Ellis|Ellis, Joseph J.]] ''[[His Excellency: George Washington]]''. (2004) ISBN 1-4000-4031-0. Acclaimed interpretation of Washington's career. *Elkins, Stanley M. and Eric McKitrick. ''The Age of Federalism.'' (1994) the leading scholarly history of the 1790s. *Ferling, John E. ''The First of Men: A Life of George Washington'' (1989). Biography from a leading scholar. *Fischer, David Hackett. ''Washington's Crossing.'' (2004), prize-winning military history focused on 1775-1776. *Flexner, James Thomas. ''Washington: The Indispensable Man.'' (1974). ISBN 0-316-28616-8 (1994 reissue). Single-volume condensation of Flexner's popular four-volume biography. *[[Douglas S. Freeman|Freeman, Douglas S.]] ''George Washington: A Biography''. 7 volumes, 1948–1957. The standard scholarly biography, winner of the Pulitzer Prize. A single-volume abridgement by Richard Harwell appeared in 1968 *Grizzard, Frank E., Jr. ''George Washington: A Biographical Companion.'' ABC-CLIO, 2002. 436 pp. Comprehensive encyclopedia by leading scholar *Grizzard, Frank E., Jr. ''The Ways of Providence: Religion and George Washington.'' Buena Vista and Charlottesville, VA: Mariner Publishing. 2005. ISBN 0-9768238-1-0. *Higginbotham, Don, ed. ''George Washington Reconsidered''. University Press of Virginia, (2001). 336 pp of essays by scholars *Higginbotham, Don. ''George Washington: Uniting a Nation.'' Rowman & Littlefield, (2002). 175 pp. *Hofstra, Warren R., ed. ''George Washington and the Virginia Backcountry''. Madison House, 1998. Essays on Washington's formative years. *Lengel, Edward G. ''General George Washington: A Military Life.'' New York: Random House, 2005. ISBN 1-4000-6081-8. *Lodge, Henry Cabot. ''George Washington,'' 2 vols. (1889), [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12652 vol 1 at Gutenberg]; [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12653 vol 2 at Gutenberg] *McDonald, Forrest. ''The Presidency of George Washington''. 1988. Intellectual history showing Washington as exemplar of republicanism. *[[Richard Norton Smith|Smith, Richard Norton]] ''Patriarch: George Washington and the New American Nation'' Focuses on last 10 years of Washington's life. *Spalding, Matthew. "George Washington's Farewell Address." ''The Wilson Quarterly'' v20#4 (Autumn 1996) pp: 65+. *Stritof, Sheri and Bob. "George and Martha Washington" http://marriage.about.com/od/presidentialmarriages/p/gwashington.htm *Wiencek, Henry. ''An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America''. (2003). </div> ==Further reading== {{see|George Washington bibliography}} ==Notes== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{sisterlinks|George Washington}} *[http://www.american-presidents.com/presidents/george-washington George Washington Biography] from HistoryEmpire as well as gallery, quotes and speeches *[http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/r/randall-washington.html?_r=1&oref=slogin George Washington: A Life] &mdash; first chapter of the biography by Willard Sterne Randall *[http://www.pocanticohills.org/washington/washington.htm George Washington for Kids] *[http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/washington/fitzpatrick/ 39 Volume Collection of the Works of George Washington] *[http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/commission.html Library of Congress: Washington's Commission as Commander in Chief] * [http://www.millercenter.virginia.edu/index.php/academic/americanpresident/washington Extensive essay on George Washington and shorter essays on each member of his cabinet and First Lady from the Miller Center of Public Affairs] * {{gutenberg author| id=George+Washington+(1732-1799) | name=George Washington}} *[http://www.virginia.org/site/features.asp?FeatureID=200 George Washington historic sites in Virginia - Official Tourism Website] *[http://sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=0000B05E-576C-13CD-976C83414B7F0000 Scientific American Magazine (February 2006 Issue) Putting a Face on the First President] *[http://www.mountvernon.org/ George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens] *[http://www.ushistory.org/presidentshouse/ President's House in Philadelphia] with first person accounts. Washington's presidential years (1790-96) in Philadelphia when it was the national capital. *[http://nps.gov/gewa/ George Washington Birthplace National Monument] *{{Find A Grave|id=1075}} * {{WiredForBooks|jamesthomasflexner|1982 interview with James Thomas Flexner on his research into George Washington's life|by [[Don Swaim]]}} *[http://findingaid.winterthur.org/html/HTML_Finding_Aids/COL0384.htm The Winterthur Library] Overview of an archival collection on George Washington. {{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Position created}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Commanding General of the United States Army|Continental Army General and Commander In Chief]]|years=[[June 15]], [[1775]] - [[December 23]], [[1783]]}} {{s-aft|after=Maj. Gen. [[Henry Knox]]<br />(Senior Officer of the US Army)}} {{s-bef|before=Brig. [[James Wilkinson]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Commanding General of the United States Army|Senior Officer of the United States Army]]|years=[[July 13]], [[1798]] - [[December 14]], [[1789]]}} {{s-aft|after=Maj. Gen. [[Alexander Hamilton]]}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Position created<br /><small>([[Cyrus Griffin]] as the [[President of the Continental Congress|President of the United States in Congress Assembled]])}} {{s-ttl|title=[[President of the United States]]|years=[[April 30]], [[1789]] - [[March 4]], [[1797]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[John Adams]]}} {{s-hon}} {{s-new}} {{s-ttl|title=[[oldest living United States president|Oldest U.S. President still living]]|years=[[April 30]], [[1789]] &ndash; [[December 14]], [[1799]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[John Adams]]}} {{s-end}} {{GeorgeWashington}} {{USPresidents}} {{USConstitutionSig}} {{potuslists}} {{Washington cabinet}} {{Persondata |NAME=Washington, George |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION=1st President of the United States, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army |DATE OF BIRTH={{birth date|1732|2|22|mf=y}} |PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Colonial Beach, Virginia]], [[United States of America]] |DATE OF DEATH={{death date|1799|12|14|mf=y}} |PLACE OF DEATH=[[Mount Vernon (plantation)]], [[Mount Vernon, Virginia]], United States of America }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, George}} [[Birth Date:=1732-02-22]] [[Death Date:=1799-12-14]] [[Category:American Episcopalians]] [[Category:American foreign policy writers]] [[Category:American surveyors]] [[Category:Americans of English descent]] [[Category:British colonial army officers]] [[Category:Congressional Gold Medal recipients]] [[Category:Continental Army generals]] [[Category:Continental Army officers from Virginia]] [[Category:Continental Congressmen from Virginia]] [[Category:Deaths from pneumonia]] [[Category:George Washington| ]] [[Category:House of Burgesses members]] [[Category:People from Fairfax County, Virginia]] [[Category:People of the French and Indian War]] [[Category:People of Virginia in the American Revolution]] [[Category:Presidents of the United States]] [[Category:Signers of the United States Constitution]] [[Category:Spymasters]] [[Category:United States presidential candidates, 1789]] [[Category:United States presidential candidates, 1792]] [[Category:United States presidential candidates, 1796]] [[Category:Virginia colonial people]] [[Category:Washington College alumni]] [[Category:Washington family]]

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