George Washington

George Washington

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George Washington 1st President of the United States (April 30, 1789 to March 3, 1797) Nickname: “Father of His Country” Born: February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia Died: December 14, 1799, at Mount Vernon, Virginia

Father: Augustine Washington Mother: Mary Ball Washington Married: Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (1732-1802), on January 6, 1759 Children: John “Jack” Parke Custis (adopted); Martha “Patsy” Custis (adopted) Religion: Episcopalian Education: No formal education Occupation: Planter, Soldier Political Party: No formal political party affiliation, but see Points of Interest. Other Government Positions:

Member of Virginia House of Burgesses, 1759-74
Member of Continental Congress, 1774-75
Chairman of the Constitutional Convention, 1787-88

Presidential Salary: $25,000/year (refused by Washington)

**Presidential Election Results:**
Year		Electoral Votes
1789	George Washington	69
	John Adams	34
	John Jay	9
	R. H. Harrison	6
	John Rutledge	6
	John Hancock	4
	George Clinton	3
	Samuel Huntington	2
	John Milton	2
	James Armstrong	1
	Benjamin Lincoln	1
	Edward Telfair	1
	(Votes Not Cast)	12
1792	George Washington	132
	John Adams	77
	George Clinton	50
	Thomas Jefferson	4
	Aaron Burr	1
1796	John Adams	71
	Thomas Jefferson	68
	Thomas Pinckney	59
	Aaron Burr	30
	Samuel Adams	15
	Oliver Ellsworth	11
	George Clinton	7
	John Jay	5
	James Iredell	3
	George Washington	2
	John Henry	2
	S. Johnston	2
	Charles C. Pinckney	1

Vice President: John Adams (1789-97) Cabinet:

Secretary of State: John Jay (1789-90); Thomas Jefferson (1790-93); Edmund Randolph (1794-95); Timothy Pickering (1795-97)
Secretary of the Treasury: Alexander Hamilton (1789-95); Oliver Wolcott, Jr. (1795-97)
Secretary of War: Henry Knox (1789-94); Timothy Pickering (1795-96); James McHenry (1796-97)
Attorney General: Edmund Randolph (1790-94); William Bradford (1794-95); Charles Lee (1795-97)

Supreme Court Appointments:

Chief Justice: John Jay (1789-95); John Rutledge (1795); Oliver Ellsworth (1796-1800)
Associate Justice: John Rutledge (1790-91); William Cushing (1790-1810); James Wilson (1789-98); John Blair (1790-96); James Iredell (1790-99); Thomas Johnson (1792-93); William Paterson (1793-1806); Samuel Chase (1796-1811)

Notable Events:

1789
- The Judiciary Act specified the number of Federal courts and judges.
1790
- Supreme Court met for the first time with John Jay as the Chief Justice.
1791
- Federal capital established in swamplands on the Potomac.
- A national banking system established by the Bank Act.
- The Bill of Rights take effect.
1792
- Post Office established by Congress as a separate entity.
- New York Stock Exchange organized.
- Coins are minted by the government as enacted by the Coinage Act.
1793
- War breaks out between Britain and France. On April 22, U.S. declares neutrality.
1794
- Whiskey Rebellion over excise tax in western Pennsylvania. Federal troops called to suppress the armed rebellion.
1795
- The Jay Treaty ratified. British troops required to withdraw from the U.S.
- Pinckney’s Treaty with Spain opened navigation on Mississippi River.
- Washington posed for Stuart’s portrait, which is now on the one dollar bill.
1796
- Washington delivered his Farewell Address.

Internet Biographies:

George Washington — from The Presidents of the United States of America: Compiled by the White House.
George Washington — from American Presidents: Life Portraits — C-SPAN: Biographical information, trivia, key events, video, and other reference materials. Website created to accompany C-SPAN’s 20th Anniversary Television Series, American Presidents: Life Portraits.
George Washington — from U.S. Presidents: From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.
The Apotheosis of George Washington — by Laura Dove, Lisa Guernsey, Scott Atkins and Adriana Rissetto: Very interesting examination of George Washington’s elevation to divine status through history.
A Biography of George Washington 1732-1799 — from From Revolution to Reconstruction: Text copied from National Archives and Records Administration The Founding Fathers’ Page as part of a larger hypertext on American history.
George Washington — from the Mount Vernon Ladies Association: This detailed biography is designed as a teaching aide for students and teachers. The site contains a lesson plan, reading materials, background notes and suggested classroom activities.
The Life of George Washington — by David Ramsay: Published eight years after Washington’s death, this volume covers Washington’s life in thirteen chapters.
The Surprising George Washington — from the National Archives and Records Administration: Richard Norton Smith’s article from the Quarterly of the National Archives (Spring 1994, vol. 26, no. 1) examines Washington’s characteristics and his treatment as a historical figure. More than a typical biography. Also includes links to some images.
George Washington on the Frontier — from The Fort Edwards Foundation: Biography covering Col. Washington’s time at Fort Edwards (1748-1758). Includes text of Washington’s account of the Battle of Fort Necessity.

Historical Documents:

Papers of George Washington: This resource, collected by the University of Virginia and the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, contains historical context to some of the documents and letters written by Washington. Unfortunately, most of the text of these documents are not online.
Letter from Washington to John Hancock (1776)
First Inaugural Address (1789)
Second Inaugural Address (1793)
The Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)
Farewell Address (1796)

Other Internet Resources:

Federalist-Antifederalist Debates – TeachingAmericanHistory.org: Learn about this early American political debate and how it influenced the formation of the United States. The TeachingAmericanHistory.org website is a project of the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University.
George Washington Memorial Parkway: This parkway preserves the scenery along the Potomac River, from Mount Vernon, through the nation’s capital, to Great Falls on the Potomac. From the National Parks Service.
Moland House: “The Moland House – George Washington’s headquarters on August 10, 1777, where the Marquis de Lafayette joined the American Revolution, the American Flag was said to have first flown over American troops here, and several other historic generals joined the American Revolution.” Located in Warwick Township, Pennsylvania, the history and fight for preservation of this site are explained.
Mount Rushmore: Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt stand 60 feet tall.
Mount Vernon: A complete guide to Washington’s Virginia plantation.
Sulgrave Manor: The Sulgrave, England ancestral home of the Washington family. Family history and tour information available.
Washington Monument: Quick facts, history and a tour of this landmark from the National Park Service.
Washington’s Birthplace: Tourist information about this 538 acre National Park can be found from the National Park Service.

Points of Interest:

It can be argued that Washington aligned himself with members of the “Federalist Party”, but he never ran for the presidency for any political party. Moreover, his farewell address warned of the dangers of political parties.
Believing that shaking hands was beneath a president, Washington bowed to his visitors.
Washington has the distinction of being the only president to be elected unanimously by the electoral college.
Washington had one remaining tooth at the time of his inauguration. During his lifetime he wore dentures made of human (some his own), cow, or hippopotamus teeth, ivory, or lead, but he never wore wooden teeth.
Many places are named after Washington including the nation’s capital, the state, 31 counties and 17 communities.
The six white horses in Washington’s stables had their teeth brushed every morning on Washington’s orders.
The nation’s capital was located in Philadelphia during Washington’s administration making him the only president who didn’t live in Washington, D.C. during his presidency.

Next President: John Adams

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