Biography of George Washington

Running Head: THE LIFE OF WASHINGTON
The Life of Washington
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Biography of George Washington
Thesis statement
George Washington is regarded as one the greatest leaders ever in the world. He was the first president of the United States of America and also American general as well as Commander in Chief of the colonial armies during the American Revolutionary war. He became the president of United States of America for eight years after which he voluntarily stepped down and handed over the presidency to John Adams. This article tries to explain his early life until he became the president of United States of America and the political achievement s he brought into force.
Early life
He was born in February 22, 1732 and raised by English parents, Augustine Washington and Mary Ball Washington at the Pope’s Creek Estate in Virginia. In his youth, he toured Shenandoah Valley, caught small pox but overcame it in 1751 while he was in Barbados with his brother who had also caught tuberculosis. He was initiated as Freemason in Fredericksburg.
In 1754, Washington began his career as a colonel for the Virginia Militia. He worked in the Ohio Valley but later was asked to help in the British Army during the French Indian War. He organized the first Virginia Regiment in 1757 and later resigned his commission to marry. He worked for duration of 20 years in smart investment. He was then asked to become a delegate in the First and Second Continental Congress’, but he was against independence until 1776.
American revolutionary War
George Washington was named the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army by the Continental Congress. In 1776, he chased away the British out of Boston. He was removed from New York City, Long Island to New Jersey.
On 25th December, 1776, he led assault on Trenton New Jersey winning the war for the revolutionaries. He led another successful attack at the Princeton on the 3rd of January. Although they managed to win many battles, there was a harsh winter which contributed the shrinking of Washington’s army to less than a thousand people. This reduction was contributed by lack of reenlistment and departure. However, these victories did not guarantee the victory of the Americans. In response to this desertion, Washington set about re-energizing his army with carrot and stick method- a carrot of monetary reward in case a person was listed for more than three years. The person was also to get a piece of land for the duration of enlisting during the war. The stick was a lashing punishment increment from 39 sticks to 100 sticks in an attempt to discourage desertion. This technique was successful and the number of people in the army under the command of Washington rose to ten thousand. Washington continued to fight successfully against the British, losing some battles but maintaining the spirit of leadership throughout. He finally managed to stop the British attempts to suppress the Revolution by joining the French and the American forces in Yorkton Virginia and managed to negotiate surrender. He later resigned as the Commander in Chief and presided over the American Constitutional Congress in 1787. The fact that he was present despite not participating encouraged the Congress to move forward. After this, he pushed for the adoption of the Constitution whereby only his presence managed to convince most of the states including Virginia to support the Constitution.
Presidency
In 1789, Gorge Washington was unanimously chosen as the first president of United States of America. He became the only person to have achieved unanimous election by the Electoral College. During his tenure as the president, he was more than anything, an example of democracy for the future leaders. He set examples in many areas like a faith in civil, rather than military. He also gave the first priority to the rule and focus on the will of the people convincingly became an administrator and an excellent delegator and judge of talent and character. He handled tasks in routine and systematic, orderly and in systematic manner and considered other people’s opinions but was decisive. He did not want to serve a second term but he accepted to serve. Thus the third term was impossible for him and he relinquished the power to john Adams to concentrate on his farming activities. This resulted into the customary policy of a maximum of two terms for a president in United States.
Later life
Following his retirement from presidency in 1797, he returned to Mount Vernon with a lot of relief. He concentrated on farming and other business activities, which includes his distillery that produced the first batch of spirits in 1797. Rozell (2000) explains that his farm activities were at best slightly profitable. Income from the western lands was low because the squatters did not pay him rent and they were also attacked by Indians. However, it was believed by the Americans that he was truly rich because of “glorified frontage of wealth and grandeur” at Mount Vernon.
It is estimated that h...