President
George Washington
1 Everywhere
you look in America today you see some reminder of George Washington.
Streets, cities, and states have been named after him. There's a
beautiful monument built in his memory in Washington, D.C. Every one
dollar bill carries a picture of our first president. George Washington
must have been a remarkable man to have been remembered in these ways
for so long.
2 George
led a good life for most of the time he was growing up. He was born on
February 22, 1732 in Virginia,
to Augustine Washington and his second wife. When
George turned eleven, his father died. George was sent to live with his
half-brother Lawrence. His mother was not up to the task of raising
him. George learned many things while living with Lawrence. His brother
was in the militia. The military then became part of his life.
Lawrence owned a plantation. George learned the secrets of being a good
farmer by helping him. He had once threatened to run away to the sea.
Instead, he studied to become a surveyor. He wanted to help the
colonists open up the new frontier. He helped mark property lines for
new farms and roads.
3 George
became a soldier during the French and Indian War. He proved himself a
leader in the British army. When Lawrence died suddenly, George left
the military to take over his brother's plantation. Mount Vernon became
the focus of his life. He married Martha Custis and became a gentleman
farmer. George became involved in local politics and won a seat in the
Virginia House of Burgesses.
4 The
colonists were feeling the sting of King George's taxes. They did not
like being taxed without having a say in what was going on. If the king
needed money, he needed to find somewhere else to get it. Talking and
boycotts were not going to change the king's mind. It was time to fight.
5 George
Washington was asked to take
charge of the unorganized local militias.
He turned them into an army strong
enough to face the awesome British
force. He was named Commander in Chief of the Continental army.
He led
the army through five years of battles. He was present for the
surrender of the British army at Yorktown in 1781.
6 Washington's
plan was to retire to his home at Mount Vernon after the Revolutionary
War. This plan was short lived. In 1789, the congress of the nation
needed a leader to pull all the parts together. George Washington was
the man they chose to be the first President of the United States.
He
again accepted the role of leader.
7 He
and Martha spent the next eight years in New York City, the first
American capital. He helped Congress and the people set up a foundation
for the government still standing today. George Washington is just one
of the many men who dedicated their lives to building a new country.
This new country would hear every person's voice. George Washington
believed in freedom and equality. He believed in doing his part to earn
those freedoms.
