George Washington

It used to be to me that a hero was someone who pulled off remarkable jaw-dropping stunts and would save the day. As I got older, reality kicked in, and sadly, I realized that imaginary heroes like Superman or Batman would not be there to save me. Nowadays, a hero to me is someone who is brave, honest, wise, ambitious, and most important, someone who tried their best to make someone’s life just a tiny bit brighter. George Washington fits this role just grand. Being the constitutional man he was, George Washington basically established the nation we live in as people. Just ask yourself, "Where would you be without him?"

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia, to Virginia planters Augustine Washington and Mary Ball Washington. George had little to no form of schooling as a boy and ended up teaching himself. Early notebooks written by him indicate that he basically taught himself geography, military history, the agricultural ways, surveying, and math. As a child, Washington enjoyed horseback riding, sports, and social outings. Entering his teens, George pursued two early interests: Western expansion and military arts. At the age of 16, Washington was invited to help survey the Shenandoah lands owned by Lord Fairfax. His journey helped him find his love of surveying, and in the summer of 1749, Washington was appointed official surveyor of Culpeper Co. Here Washington surveyed much of the Virginia Frontier.

Upon becoming a gentleman, Washington’s life was almost completely absorbed by the military. In 1754 Washington was commissioned as a lieutenant. Washington fought in little battles which grew to become the French and Indian War. The next year at age 25 Washington was assigned aide to General Edward Braddock in the French and Indian War. Here Washington fought and escaped serious injuries, only to survive with four bullets ripping his coat and two horses shot beneath him. In 1759 at age 29 Washington had to strongly hold his land in efforts to protect it from the American Revolution. Here in Mount Vernon Washington attended to his land and served in the Virginia House of Burgesses. He married Martha Dandridge Custis. Washington felt exploited by the British merchants during the American Revolution, so he took a stand and voiced his opinion loudly. Time passed and Washington led life actively and proudly. In May 1775 Washington attended the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia. Here Washington was elected Commander and Chief of the Continental Army. On July 3, 1775 at Cambridge, Massachusetts, Washington took the role as the leader of his rag tag, ill trained troops. With the help of his troops, Washington and they journeyed into a war that lasted six long and hard years. Near the end of the war, Washington and his men looked to be on the edge of falling. Then suddenly they struck back unexpectedly with the help of French allies in 1781. With the help of the new allies, Washington and his men forced Cornwallis to surrender at Yorktown. As a result of his extraordinary leadership, ambitiousness, bravery, and conservativism, Washington was viewed as a remarkable man and leader. After the days of the war, Washington wanted to settle down and work in his fields in Mount Vernon. But there was soon a time when the Articles of Confederation were not functioning well. So, Washington took a lead in becoming a voice again in the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Here the new Constitution was ratified and the Electoral College in 1788 elected George Washington as the first ever President of the United States.

As president, Washington stabilized the new government. He appointed his three successors, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. Washington also established and instituted a firm cabinet. Washington, as well, appointed Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury and Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. Being the “boss,” Washington foresaw the development of the nation in allowing Hamilton to establish the Bank of the Untied States, freeing debt, and controlling taxes. Washington allowed Jefferson to seek trade and cooperation with the European nations. As Washington’s first term wound down, he was re-elected in 1792 at the age of 33.

During his second term, war broke out between France and Britain along with others. This put pressure on the foreign policy which Jefferson created. In response to this outrage, George formed Jay’s Treaty, which settled American differences with Britain. Jay’s Treaty brought Washington trouble and he decided to resign after two groundbreaking terms. In reading his farewell address, Washington set the precedent for Presidents to come to only serve two terms.

Upon being the most powerful man in the Untied States, Washington retired to Mount Vernon where he eventually died on December 14, 1799 due to a throat infection. Washington was unaware that the nation mourned his loss for months. To this day, Americans remember the man who started it all and set the precedent for more then 206 years. His legacy will live on in this nation.