George Washington
A Virginia planter turned revolutionary commander who refused a crown, setting the fragile American republic on its feet.
1732–1799 (age 67)·U.S. Founding Father, president from 1789 to 1797·Birthday: February 22
Biography
Born into the colonial gentry of Virginia, George Washington's early life was shaped by land surveying and military ambition within the British Empire. His experience in the French and Indian War taught him the limits of imperial power. When the break with Britain came, his stature as a southern aristocrat made him the essential unifying figure to lead the Continental Army, a role defined more by grim perseverance through Valley Forge than flashy tactics. After victory, he stunned the world by surrendering his command, but was called back to preside over the Constitutional Convention and serve as the first president. His two terms established critical norms, from a cabinet system to the peaceful transfer of power, all while consciously battling his own fame to prevent the presidency from becoming a monarchy. He retired to Mount Vernon, leaving a nation that owed its operational reality to his sense of restraint.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1732
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1732Born
1737Started school
1745Became a teenager
1748Could drive
1750Could vote
1753Turned 21
1762Turned 30
1772Turned 40
1782Turned 50
1792Turned 60
1799Died at 67
Key Achievements
- Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army throughout the American Revolutionary War, securing independence from Great Britain.
- Unanimously elected first President of the United States, serving two terms from 1789 to 1797.
- Presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787, lending his crucial credibility to the new frame of government.
- Issued the Farewell Address in 1796, warning against permanent foreign alliances and the dangers of political parties.
Did You Know?
He is the only U.S. President to have been unanimously elected by the Electoral College, achieving this twice.
Washington owned a whiskey distillery at Mount Vernon, which was one of the largest in America at the time.
Despite being depicted with wooden teeth, his dentures were made from a combination of human teeth, animal teeth, ivory, and metal springs.
He is the only founding father to free his slaves in his will, though it only took effect after his wife's death.
““Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.””
