The Shaping Of A Nation In all American history, few people have achieved the same admiration and reverence as our first President George Washington. Known by many as the architect who paved the way for the United States of America, he was renowned not only for his strategic brilliance on the battlefield but also for his unrelenting commitment to integrity and honor. From an upbringing on a farm, to an esteemed war leader, and eventually to President, George Washington set many precedents and sparked the fire for America to become what we are today. George Washington’s upbringing played a significant role in shaping his identity, and as a result, his influence on the nation’s identity. Growing up on a farm in Virginia, although his family was wealthy, taught him many valuable …show more content…
Because of his father's death, and attending a small school, George had to learn a lot on his own. By having to read and study on his own, while also managing the farm, Washington learned that nothing is given to you and you must take action to achieve your goals. At only seventeen years old, Washington became a surveyor for Culpeper County. Documenting Virginia’s Western frontier, George gained a steady income, an understanding of Indian diplomacy, and a “rugged self-reliance necessary to survive in the backcountry” (Farr page 5). Having learned many important lessons in his early years such as diplomacy, independence and hard work, Washington had started to form key values that would shape the identity of the nation. In 1753, twenty one year old George Washington, who was now a major in the Virginia regiment, was tasked with delivering a message to the French in the Ohio River Valley, demanding they release it to the British. Washington, being keen on keeping up with his diary, wrote about his expedition and later published his story, giving him a reputation in several