George Washington 1732 – 1799

Biography

George Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and grew up on a plantation, learning surveying before serving as a young officer in the French and Indian War. He married Martha Custis, became one of Virginia’s wealthiest planters at Mount Vernon, and emerged as a leader of the colonial resistance to Britain. In 1775 the Continental Congress made him commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, and he led it through defeat and hardship to victory at Yorktown in 1781. He presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and was unanimously elected the first President of the United States, serving two terms and setting precedents for the office. He died at Mount Vernon, Virginia, in 1799. He is remembered as the Father of His Country, and his decision to step down after two terms set a precedent that lasted for generations.