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George Washington Birth
George Washington was born on February 22,1732 to Augustine and Mary Washington. He joined half-brother Lawrence who was 14 years older and from Augustine's first marriage. George was a strong and healthy baby. -
Mt. Vernon
In 1746 George Washington moved to Mount Vernon after the death of his father.Mount Vernon was the home of his half-brother Lawrence and his wife Ann Fairfax.Mount Vernon was a large estate and plantation in Virginia. It required long hard days of planting and farming. While living at Mount Vernon George met many wealthy influential and important people. -
Lawrence Washington Dies
In 1752 after suffering from a terrible cough Lawrence Washington died. George Washington adored his older brother who taught him many valuable and important life skills. Lawrence had been an officer in the militia a group of part-time soldiers. His death left an opening which George filled. -
French and Indian War
The British and French had been fighting over land in the Ohio River Valley for sometime.
One of his first duties as part of the militia George was sent to deliver a warning to the French. For five years George helped fight for the British against the French. It was in a very difficult time and many men were killed. George survived and help to allow colonists to move foward and developed the Ohio River Valley. -
Martha Custis Washington
On January 6th 1759 George Washington married Martha Custis. Martha was a young rich Widow with two young children. George and Martha met at a dance. Although they never had children of their own George adored his two step children Jacky and Patsy. The new family lived at Mount Vernon. George had inherited the estate upon Ann Fairfax's death.George and Martha enjoyed entertained weekly for many years at Mount Vernon. -
The Continental Army
Angered by the tax the British had put on tea the colonists displayed their unhappiness with the Boston Tea Party. This led to the forming of the Continental Army. George Washington who is 43 was asked to lead it. The War of Independence lasted from 1775 to 1783. The colonists fought long and hard to gain their independence from Britain. George lead his troops through terrible times with poor living conditions, lack of ammunition, food and clothes. -
Constitution
In 1787 George Washington was present at the Philadelphia Convention for the drafting of the United States Constitution. The Constitution was established to ensure the balance of power. The newly independent colonies did not want to have a governing system like Britain's. The Constitution had three branches of power with a President who oversaw, Congress who passed laws and the Supreme Court who rule on if laws were fair and just -
George Washington is elected the first President
On April 14th 1789 George Washington receive the news he was elected the first president. Electors from different states had all voted for George. Georgia's very hesitant and his first instinct was to run from the room. All George had wanted was to live out his life on his beloved Mount Vernon. -
George Washington is elected to a second term
In 1793 George Washington serve a four-year term as a country's first president. He was in his sixties with declining health. Although George wanted to return to Mount Vernon and farming the country was still too young to be turned over. He was elected to a second term. The highlight of this term was planning the permanent Capital which would be in Washington City. Unfortunately he never got to live there -
George Washington dies-1799
After serving two terms for a total of eight years as the country's first president George was finally able to return home. George was very happy to return to the long growing days of farming and hard work at Mount Vernon. Sadly after a particularly cold and rainy day in December of 1799, George caught a bad cold that he died from.
