GEORGE WASHINGTON 1732 1799 FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON GEORGE 1732 1799 U.S GOV'T EXECUTIVE REVOLUTIONARY WAR COLONIES U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION ELECTIONS AND POLITICS GEORGE WASHINGTON GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS BORN IN VIRGINIA HIS FATHER WAS A WEALTHY PLANTER WASHINGTON WAS PRIVATELY EDUCATED AND WORKED FOR A TIME AS A SURVEYOR AT THE AGE OF 20 HE INHERITED A PLANTATION AT MOUNT VERNON BUT HE SOON LEFT TO FIGHT IN THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR BY 1755 HE HAD RISEN TO THE RANK OF COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF VIRGINIA'S FORCES FOUR YEARS LATER HE MARRIED MARTHA CUSTIS AND RETURNED TO FARMING BUT HE SOON BECAME INVOLVED IN VIRGINIA POLITICS IN 1774 WASHINGTON WAS A DELEGATE TO THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS HE SERVED AS A DELEGATE TO THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN 1775 WASHINGTON WAS CHOSEN AS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY THE FOLLOWING YEAR HE FORCED BRITISH TROOPS TO EVACUATE BOSTON BUT HE LOST LONG ISLAND AND MANHATTAN TO THEM ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT IN 1776 HE LED A SURPRISE ATTACK ACROSS THE DELAWARE RIVER THAT OVERTOOK BRITISH TROOPS AT TRENTON NEW JERSEY WITH HIS ARMY HE ENDURED THE BITTER WINTER OF 1777 78 AT VALLEY FORGE BY 1781 HE HAD ALLIED WITH FRENCH TROOPS AND DEFEATED GENERAL CORNWALLIS IN THE BATTLE OF YORKTOWN IN 1787 WASHINGTON PRESIDED OVER THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION TWO YEARS LATER HE WAS UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED TO THE PRESIDENCY WITH JOHN ADAMS AS HIS VICE PRESIDENT DURING HIS EIGHT YEAR PRESIDENCY HE ISSUED A PROCLAMATION OF NEUTRALITY DURING WAR BETWEEN FRANCE AND ENGLAND SUPPRESSED THE WHISKEY REBELLION AND SIGNED JAY'S TREATY WITH ENGLAND HE DECLINED TO SERVE A THIRD TERM AS PRESIDENT AFTER HIS SECOND TERM ENDED IN 1797 WASHINGTON RETIRED TO MOUNT VERNON AND DIED IN DECEMBER 1799
