George Washington

George Washington was born in Westmoreland County, VA on February 22, 1732. He was of English decent and the eldest son of Augustine & Mary Ball Washington. Throughout his life, he helped form the beginning of the United States in three very important ways. First, he was the commanded of the Continental Army that won American independence from Britain in the Revolutionary War. Second, he severed as the first president of the United States of America from 1789 to 1797. Third, Washington served as chairman of the convention that wrote the United States Constitution. Thoughout his life and his great accomplishments, "Washington is recognized by Americans as The Father of Our Country" which identifies him as "Landes Vater" or Father of the Land," and one of the most important persons amongst the history of the United States of America. (USA-Presidents.Info).

The American Revolution was a political movement that ended British control of the south-eastern coastal area of North America, resulting in the formation of the United States of America in 1776. The fighting began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775, and lasted through the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. George Washington played a very important role during this time as he commanded the American forces. He had much success at Trenton and Saratoga as he defeated the Hessians and the British general John Burgoyne. Although Washington was successful with those battles, General Howell later defeated him in his attack on Philadelphia. "With the British victory, Philadelphia fell, the Continental Congress was forced to flee the city, and Washington and his army retired to nearby Valley

Forge to suffer through the bitter winter months. American fortunes were looking up, however. In the spring of 1778, news arrived that France had entered the war on the American side, due in large part to the victory at Saratoga." Later, General Henry Clinton decided that if war could not be won over on the east side, then he would move it towards the south. By doing so, he captured over 5000 troops and held them prisoners. Slowly the British started to win battle after battle, eventually giving them the upper hand. Fortunately for us, General the Comte de Rochambeau arrived in America with 5,000 French troops and helped in our struggle to regain control over the British during the battle of Yorktown. "On October 19, 1781, the British army marched out of Yorktown and stacked its arms in surrender." By 1783, the Treaty of Paris officially ended the war and soon after George Washington was elected first President of the United States of America (Cummings and Friedman).

George Washington was the first and only Presidnet to be unanimously elected into presidency by the Electoral College. "On February 4, 1789, electors in each state met to cast their ballots, and all sixty-nine voted Washington for President" (Ketchum 215). By April 14, 1789, a gentleman by the name of Charles Thomas greeted Washington in Mount Vernon and made a speech informing him that he had been chosen as President of the United States. Washington was well prepared for the accpetance and had a written speech already prepared. "As he took his journey from Mount Vernon to New York, Washington was well accpeted amounst the people. Towns, in large numbers, turned out to honor the new President, greeting him with mounted escorts, parades, dinners, fireworks, and speeches" (Ketchum 217). Washington served as President two terms before he stepped down. He set the norm that no president should serve more than two terms as President, something of which that has stuck with America since Washingtons retirement to his Virginia plantation in 1797.

Against all military odds, Washington liberated the thirteen colonies from the superior forces of the British Empire and presided over the process to produce and ratify a Constitution that has remained apart of The United States of America for more than two hundred years. The Constitution was based on the idea of an unchanging human nature. The idea is best captured in the Declaration of Independence, and its statement that all human beings possess equal rights by nature. Throughout his Presidency,

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