Overview

George Washington was a prominent American statesman and military leader who played a pivotal role in the American Revolution and the founding of the United States of America. He was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Washington began his military career in the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War, and later served as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He led his troops to victory against the British at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, which proved to be a turning point in the war. After the war, he became a hero to the American people and was unanimously elected as the first President of the United States in 1789. Washington served two terms as President and is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in American history.

In addition to his military and political achievements, George Washington was also a successful planter and businessman. He owned several plantations in Virginia, including Mount Vernon, where he held and employed enslaved workers. Washington was known for his innovative farming methods, such as crop rotation and fertilizers. He also served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and was crucial in drafting the United States Constitution. At his death, he freed the enslaved people he owned but not those his wife owned. George Washington’s legacy continues to be celebrated today, with his image appearing on the one-dollar bill and his birthday being a national holiday in the United States.

Primary Sources

Baker, William S. Itinerary of George Washington from June 15, 1775 to December 23, 1783. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1892.

Washington, George, Philander D. Chase, Dorothy Twohig, Frank E. Grizzard, and Edward G. Lengel. The Papers of George Washington. Revolutionary War Series. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985.

Biographies

There are thousands of books written on Washington. Below are some of the most notable.

Calloway, Colin G. The Indian World of George Washington: The First President, the First Americans, and the Birth of the Nation. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2018.

Colin Calloway’s unique contribution is describe the history of Native Americans through the prism of Washington’ life.  He explores under researched aspects of how Washington as a land speculator, general and a President intersected with Native Americans and the development of their societies.

Calloway’s central thesis is that Washington sought to assimilate Native Americans into his culture and Native Americans resisted seeking to create their own cultures.  He concludes that only by combining and recounting all these cultures can you tell the American story.

Coe, Alexis. You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington. New York: Viking, 2020.

Flexner, James Thomas. Washington The Indispensable Man. New York: Mentor, 1969.

Horn, Jonathan. Washington’s End: The Final Years and Forgotten Struggle, 2020.

Lengel, Edward G. General George Washington: A Military Life. 1st ed. New York: Random House, 2005.

Meltzer, Brad, and Josh Mensch. The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington. First edition. New York: Flatiron Books, 2019.

Palmer, Dave Richard. George Washington and Benedict Arnold: A Tale of Two Patriots. Washington, D.C., Lanham, MD: Regnery Pub. ; Distributed to the trade by National Book Network, 2006.

Rhodehamel, John H. George Washington: The Wonder of the Age. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017.

Stewart, David O. George Washington: The Political Rise of America’s Founding Father. New York, New York: Dutton, 2021.

Thompson, Mary V. “The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret”: George Washington, Slavery, and the Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2019.

Portraits

Commemorations – Federal Hall, NYC

Washington took the oath of office at Federal Hall, NYC, from Robert R. Livingston.  Bible held by James Otis.  Major Generals Baron von Steuben and Arthur St. Clair were in attendance.

Society of Cincinnati

Expert horseman, George Washington riding to attend church at the National Cathedral, Washington, DC. By noted equestrian sculptor Herbert Haseltine. Dedicated in 1959. Located south of the Cathedral located at the entrance to Olmsted Woods.

National Portrait Gallery

George Washington on the campus of the University of Virgina, Charlottesville