George Washington Character Traits

George Washington

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland Virginia. His family first migrated to America when his great grandfather John Washington emigrated from England to Virginia in 1657. His parent's names were Mary and Augustine Washington, he had 6 brothers and 3 sisters. His mother, Mary Ball, brought several properties to the marriage as her marriage settlement. In 1738, when George was six, his family moved from one of their plantations on the Potomac River to a farm on the Rappahannock River. The move brought Augustine Washington (George's dad) closer to Accokeek Iron Furnace, of which he was a managing partner for the Principio Company. Ferry Farm was Washington's principal residence for most of George’s

James Marye. Young Washington copied The Rules of Civility, a guide to gentlemanly behavior in polite society, most likely as a school assignment. This combination accepted manners manual and moral code taught young George how to interact with his influential neighbors. By strictly following its advice, young Washington molded his character, eventually becoming the ideal moral leader. As he got older, he grew a strong sense of self-reliance and responsibility—to his family, his soldiers, and country.

Later in life, George Washington’s works show he was aware of his lack of advanced education. He made up for it by being an observant student of the behavior. And actions of others. Washington’s experience on the frontier and in the army helped develop his confidence. These experiences encourage leadership skills that offset his lack of an advanced education, allowing him to interact easily with men of greater education and worldly experience. George Washington started his surveying career at about age 15. His father had a set of surveyor’s instruments in his possession. In 1748, at age 16, George traveled with Lord Fairfax’s surveying party on his first journey into the wilds of western Virginia.

Since independence, the young republic had been struggling under the Articles of Confederation, a structure of government that centered power with the states. But the states were not unified. They fought among themselves over boundaries and navigation rights and refused to contribute to paying off the nation's war debt. In some instances, state legislatures imposed tyrannical tax policies on their own citizens. Washington was intensely dismayed at the state of affairs, but only slowly came to the realization that something should be done about it. But when Shays's rebellion erupted in Massachusetts, Washington knew something needed to be done to improve the nation’s government. In 1786, Congress approved a convention to be held in Philadelphia to amend the Articles of Confederation. At the Constitution Convention, Washington was unanimously chosen as president. Among others, such as James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, Washington had come to the conclusion that it wasn't amendments that were needed, but a new constitution that would give the national government more authority. Still hoping to retire to his beloved Mount Vernon, Washington was once again called upon to serve this country. During the presidential election of 1789, he received a vote from every elector to the Electoral College, the only president in American history to be elected by unanimous approval. He took the oath of office at Federal Hall