George Washington
The Father of Our Country
George Washington was born February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County Virginia to Augustine and Mary Ball Washington. He was the eldest of six children born to this couple.
In his youth, George took an interest in the military and the west Because of these interests, at the age of 16, he secured a job surveying the Shenandoah Valley and in 1754 became a lieutenant colonel in the French and Indian War.
After the war, he returned to his home in Virginia. A plantation commonly known as Mount Vernon. In was then that he married Martha Dandridge Custis on February 6, 1579. They had no children together but Martha did have two children from a previous marriage.
During this time, Washington became interested in politics and represented Virginia as a
delegate at the Continental Congress. In May 1775, the Second Continental Congress elected Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. He fought diligently against the British in the Revolutionary War. Later, the Continental Congress elected him unanimously as the first President of the United States.
On April 30, 1789, George Washington took office. He served to consecutive terms. When Washington left office in March 1797, he returned to his home to Mount Vernon. There he spent his retirement years.
Washington died of a throat infection December 14, 1799. For months the Nation mourned him. He is buried on the grounds of his Mount Vernon Home in Virginia
To learn more about the man who played a big part in founding our country, click on the hypertext links below.
George Washington:
http://www2.whitehouse.gov/WH/glimpse/presidents/html/gw1.htmlGeorge Washington: http://sc94.ameslab.gov/TOUR/gwash.html George Washington Biography:
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/P/gw1/about/washingt.htmGeorge Washington Birthplace National Monument:
http://www.nps.gov/gewa/Mount Vernon – Home of George Washington:
http://www.mountvernon.org/
