George Washington he is one of the great personalities of the United States and played a fundamental role in the consolidation of that country's independence. He was a member of one of Virginia's most traditional families, being the commander of the Continental Army troops, the army that fought the American Revolution. He was the first president of the USA, ruling from 1789 to 1797.
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Birth
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 , on his family's property located in Westmoreland County, Virginia , one of the British colonies in North America. George Washington belonged to one of the wealthiest and most influential families in this county, and the Washington family had become rich mainly through real estate speculation.
His father was named Augustine Washington , owning many lands and properties in that colony. Augustine still held public office and was a well-known public figure. Washington's mother was called Mary Ball Washington , being Augustine's second wife.
In all, Augustine and Mary Ball had six children, George Washington being the oldest of them. As the family owned many properties, Washington resided in them at different stages of his childhood. At the age of 11, his father died, and so he inherited an estate called Ferry Farm and 10 slaves.
Professional Life
Washington did not have access to formal schooling, but had paid tutors by his family so that he could learn knowledge considered important. The first job he did was that of surveyor, in Virginia, and in 1749 he received an appointment from Lord Fairfax (father of the wife of one of his brothers) to be the official surveyor of Culpeper County.
In 1752, Washington took up residence at Mount Vernon, residence that his half-brother Lawrence inherited when their father passed away. This would be George Washington's main residence throughout his life. Lawrence's death made him pursue a military career and join the Virginia militia .
While he was in the Virginia militia, George Washington carried out important missions and participated in the fighting that was part of the Franco-Indian War , a conflict that formed part of the Seven Years War , fought between French and English. Washington rose to the rank of colonel and was responsible for commanding the entire Virginia militia.
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American Revolution
At the end of 1758, Washington abandoned the army and devoted himself to politics and the administration of his estates. In politics, he ran for the House of Burgesses, a legislature that existed in Virginia. He had run in 1755, but failed, being elected in 1758. Washington held office in that assembly until 1775.
His period of service at this meeting coincided with the cycle revolutionary that befell the Thirteen Colonies between the 1760s and 1770s. This cycle was motivated by the clash of interests between the American colonists and the United Kingdom. British attempts to expand control over their colonies led to a clash of forces.
Among the big issues causing friction between the two parties were the metropolis' attempts to expand control over its colony by leaving thousands of soldiers in North America after the Seven Years' War. . The presence of these soldiers increased the burden on the colonists, as the sustainability of the troops was their obligation .
Furthermore, the British sought to increase revenue in the Thirteen Colonies, which led to the imposition of some laws that caused a lot of controversy, such as the Sugar Law and the Stamp Law . The colonists, in turn, only accepted tax increases if they were entitled to representation in the English Parliament.
George Washington himself was against tax increases and in favor of the idea that colonies should have representation in Parliament. In the 1760s, Washington even expressed opinions in favor of the boycott of English goods in retaliation for tax increases.
He was also a representative of Virginia at the First Continental Congress of Philadelphia , in 1774. In the following year, the war between colonists and English started, and, to guarantee its defense, the colonies formed the Army Continental , handing over command of all troops that would fight the British to George Washington.
The United States Declaration of Independence was formalized on July 4, 1776 , but the war against the British was fought until 1781. It was not until 1783 that the British recognized American independence, when the Treaty of Paris was signed. . That same year, Washington handed over command of the United States Army. Between 1784 and 1786, he remained withdrawn from public life.
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First President of the United States
The 1780s were challenging for the United States, mainly because the country was facing its process of consolidation as an independent nation. Numerous problems arose, and the difficulty of keeping all states satisfied was real. As a result, Washington and many others went on to suggest the need for a new Constitution.
Washington was part of a committee that debated this issue:the Constitutional Convention of 1787 . In that event, the Constitution of the United States was elaborated, ratified by all the states in 1790. Another measure taken to guarantee more stability to the country was the organization of a presidential election in 1789 .
In this election, George Washington was elected as the first president of the United States . He ruled for two mandates , since he was re-elected in 1792. He could have run for a third term (there was no restriction at that time), but decided not to run because he did not agree with his perpetuation in power.
During his rule, he built the city of Washington, the capital of the United States. The choice of the name of the capital was a tribute to the president himself. In March 1797, Washington handed over the presidency to John Adams . From 1797 to 1799, he again worked with the army to modernize the country's troops.
When Washington died, he was still serving in his army. His death happened on December 14, 1799, because of a throat infection that was not properly treated.
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[1] Everett Collection and Shutterstock