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George Washington
was born on February 22, 1732, in Virginia. His father was a
farmer. After his father died, eleven year old Washington
went to live with his half-brother, Lawrence, who owned a
plantation named Mount Vernon. Later Lawrence died leaving
his daughter in Washington's care at Mt. Vernon.
Washington took a
job as a surveyor for Lord Fairfax in 1748. Surveying is
marking the boundaries of property or land for the purpose
of ownership.
In 1753 Washington
became part of the Virginia militia (army) during the French
and Indian Wars. He took over command of all the Virginia
forces in 1755. In 1758 he was elected to the Virginia House
of Burgesses, so he quit the army and served in the House
from 1759-1774.
Washington married
Martha Custis in 1759. They had no children together but
Martha was a widow and had two children which Washington
helped to raise. During this time, he was serving in the
House of Burgesses and enjoying the life of a gentleman
farmer. He owned many slaves.
Washington
participated in the First Continental Congress in 1774 and
once again took command of the Virginia militia. The next
year, the second Congress appointed him commander in chief
of the Continental Army (1775). He led the army through the
Revolutionary War with Britain.
He returned to Mt.
Vernon in 1783 but chaired the Philadelphia Constitutional
Convention of 1787 where lawmakers worked on the first U.S.
Constitution. In 1789 Washington was elected as president.
He was reelected in 1793.
George Washington
died in 1799 at Mount Vernon. He became known as the "Father
of Our Country".
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