Washington appointed commander in chief4/18/2024 ![]() In many ways, he was viewed as the only man who could do the job. His personal integrity, military experience, and hero status all contributed to his selection. The following day, Washington was selected as the new army’s commander-in-chief. On June 14th, Congress resolved to create a Continental Army. ![]() After the eruption of open conflict in Massachusetts in April 1775, Washington attended the Second Continental Congress. He was elected by the Virginia legislature to represent the colony at the First Continental Congress in 1774. ![]() By 1771, Washington openly criticized the British for what he viewed as oppressive tax policies towards the colonies. As the years went on, Washington grew increasingly interested in politics. ![]() She and her two young children joined Washington at Mount Vernon. The following year, he married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy widow. In 1758, he was elected to a seat in the Virginia legislature. Using the labor of over one hundred enslaved individuals, Washington successfully developed Mount Vernon into a prosperous plantation. He wished to make the farm profitable and spent considerable money to expand the property. British leadership regarded him as a poor commander, while colonists viewed him as a hero for his bravery and steady leadership in battle.Īfter the war, he returned to Mount Vernon, which he would inherit from his brother Lawrence in 1761. Though the British won the war, Washington’s reputation was far from certain. He continued to serve in the war, leading provincial units until he resigned in 1758. The following year, Washington fought at the disastrous Battle of Monongahela on July 9, 1755, where the French and their Indian allies routed a large British and militia force. French and Native American forces retaliated, defeating Washington’s militia force. Washington, then a major, inadvertently started the French and Indian War in 1754 when his forces attacked and killed a French officer in a scouting party in the Ohio River Valley. Yet, Washington desired military service and received a commission in the Virginia Militia in 1752. By the age of 20, Washington was a socially-connected, well-educated, wealthy landowner. He began working as a surveyor in 1748 and completed several expeditions to the Shenandoah Valley. Born into moderate wealth, Washington did not attend school but received a robust education in mathematics and land surveying. His father, a justice of the peace, died in 1743, and Washington inherited part of his estate at Ferry Farm near Fredericksburg. Though not without faults, he established a precedent of selfless service and moral integrity in the American armed forces, a legacy that lives on in the nation he helped create.īorn on February 22, 1732, to Augustine and Mary Ball Washington, the future president grew up in Virginia. In particular, his superb leadership qualities allowed him to succeed throughout his life. Constitution, and served as the first president of the United States. He led the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War, helped create the U.S. ![]() In many ways, he is viewed almost as a mythical figure and is typically remembered for his momentous achievements. White House Historical Foundation.įew figures loom as large in American military history as George Washington. George Washington by Charles Willson Peale, 1776. ![]()
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