George Washington

George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Second Continental Congress as commander of the Continental Army in June 1775, Washington led Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War and then served as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted and ratified the Constitution of the United States and established the American federal government. Washington has thus been called the "Father of his Country".

Quick facts: George Washington, 1st President of the Unite... ▼

George Washington
Portrait, 1796
1st President of the United States
In office April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797
Vice President	John Adams
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	John Adams
7th Senior Officer of the United States Army
In office July 13, 1798 – December 14, 1799
President	John Adams
Preceded by	James Wilkinson
Succeeded by	Alexander Hamilton
Commander in Chief of the Continental Army
In office June 19, 1775 – December 23, 1783
Appointed by	Continental Congress
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Henry Knox (as Senior Officer)
14th Chancellor of the College of William & Mary
In office April 30, 1788 – December 14, 1799
President	James Madison
Preceded by	Richard Terrick (1776)
Succeeded by	John Tyler (1859)
Delegate from Virginia to the Continental Congress
In office September 5, 1774 – June 16, 1775
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Thomas Jefferson
Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses
In office July 24, 1758 – June 24, 1775
Preceded by	Hugh West
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Constituency	Frederick County (1758–1765) Fairfax County (1765–1775)
Personal details
Born	February 22, 1732 [O.S. February 11, 1731] Popes Creek, Virginia Colony, British America
Died	December 14, 1799(1799-12-14) (aged 67) Mount Vernon, Virginia, U.S.
Resting place	Mount Vernon, Virginia 38°42′28.4″N 77°05′09.9″W
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Martha Dandridge ​ (m. 1759)​
Parents	Augustine Washington Mary Ball Washington
Relatives	Washington family
Occupation	Planter military officer statesman surveyor
Awards	Congressional Gold Medal Thanks of Congress[1]
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Great Britain United States
Branch/service	Virginia Militia Continental Army United States Army
Years of service	1752–1758 (Virginia Militia) 1775–1783 (Continental Army) 1798–1799 (U.S. Army)
Rank	Colonel (1st Virginia Regiment) Colonel (Virginia Militia) General and Commander in Chief (Continental Army) Lieutenant General (U.S. Army) General of the Armies (promoted posthumously in 1976 by Congress)
Commands	Virginia Regiment Continental Army United States Army
Battles/wars	See list French and Indian War Battle of Jumonville Glen Battle of Fort Necessity Braddock Expedition Battle of the Monongahela Forbes Expedition American Revolutionary War Boston campaign New York and New Jersey campaign Philadelphia campaign Yorktown campaign Northwest Indian War Whiskey Rebellion

Washington's first public office, from 1749 to 1750, was as surveyor of Culpeper County in the Colony of Virginia. He subsequently received military training and was assigned command of the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War. He was later elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses and was named a delegate to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, which appointed him Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. Washington led American forces to a decisive victory over the British in the Revolutionary War, leading the British to sign the Treaty of Paris, which acknowledged the sovereignty and independence of the United States. He resigned his commission in 1783 after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War.

Washington played an indispensable role in adopting and ratifying the Constitution, which replaced the Articles of Confederation in 1789. He was then twice elected president by the Electoral College unanimously. As the first U.S. president, Washington implemented a strong, well-financed national government while remaining impartial in a fierce rivalry that emerged between cabinet members Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. During the French Revolution, he proclaimed a policy of neutrality while sanctioning the Jay Treaty. He set enduring precedents for the office of president, including use of the title "Mr. President" and the two-term tradition. His 1796 farewell address became a preeminent statement on republicanism in which he wrote about the importance of national unity and the dangers regionalism, partisanship, and foreign influence pose to it.

Washington has been memorialized by monuments, a federal holiday, various media depictions, geographical locations including the national capital, the State of Washington, stamps, and currency. He is ranked among the greatest U.S. presidents. In 1976, Washington was posthumously promoted to the rank of General of the Armies, the highest rank in the U.S. Army. His legacy is marred, however, by his ownership of slaves and his complicated relationship with slavery, as well as his policy to assimilate Native Americans into the Anglo-American culture and waging war against Native American nations during the Revolutionary Wars and the Northwest Indian War.