Today, I want to talk to you about George Washington. In school, we are taught that he was the first President of the United States and that he was considered the “father of our country”. I want to tell you a little more about him and what made him the unanimous choice to lead our country.
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. We celebrate the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on President’s Day since they were both born in February. Washington’s family was wealthy and he received a good education. He was especially talented at technical drawings and map making. He was also a good writer.
George Washington followed his brother’s footsteps into serving in the militia. He was quickly promoted during the French and Indian War where he was known to have increased the professionalism of his regiment.
When the war was over, he went back to working on his estate. At this time he married Martha who had two children from her previous marriage. They never had children of their own, although George adopted her two children as his own. She had a large estate from her previous marriage. When they were married, the combination of their estates made George Washington one of Virginia’s wealthiest men. George was respected in social circles and often invited to participate in local government. He was not happy about the British government and would often speak his mind about the taxation.
When the Revolutionary War began, he immediately reported to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Due to his previous military career and his reputation, he was unanimously elected as the General and Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. He served this office and refused to accept a salary.
The war was long and the winter weather conditions made it a very difficult battle. George Washington led with courage and wisdom. He developed the first spy network and led his men to victory. When the peace treaty was signed, he resigned from his leadership position.
George Washington had very strong opinions on how the country needed to proceed. He believed in unity above all. When the Consitutional Convention began, he was unanimously elected to preside over the meeting. Washington was known to listen to both sides of a disagreement and find a fair resolution. During this Convention, Washington was elected as the first President as the members of the Convention trusted him to define the office. Washington wanted to serve without a salary, but Congress insisted that the office was a paid position.
Some of the precedents that Washington established were the inaugural address, messages to Congress, and the Cabinet and Executive Departments. Washington was a good judge of character and talent. He was known for talking regularly with department heads to get advice. He tolerated and listened to opposing views without taking sides. He opposed the party system as he felt it created divisiveness. He truly believed that unity was the most important value for our new country. Washington also established the Thanksgiving holiday. He felt that it was important for our nation as a whole to give thanks. By retiring at the end of his second term, Washington established the precedent for the two-term limit (which was later made official in the Constitution with the 22nd amendment).
George Washington died at his home after being out in the cold in 1799. His name was given to the capital city of the United States (as well as the state of Washington). The Washinton Monument was built in his honor and he is also depicted on Mount Rushmore. Our dollar bill carries his image as well. Cities, streets, parks, and schools are all named after our first President. We should remember his desire for unity for our country.
I hope this helped you understand a little more about our first President George Washington and his desire for unity. His reputation as being fair helped him to gain trust. He established the office of the President and help lay the foundation for our government.
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