By : Chase Lewis
George Washington was born February 22, He was a military and political leader of the United States of America from 1775 to George Washington became known as "The Father of Our Country“. George was born in Virginia to Augustine and Mary Ball. He only went to school for 7 or 8 years, and his favorite subject was math. His father died when he was 11. He grew very tall. He was 6 foot 2. When he was 16 he went to live with his half brother Lawrence. George married a widow named Martha.
Before George Washington became our first president he was the commander and chief of the colonial army. He led the soldiers to help make the colonist free from British rule. After the war George Washington was chosen to preside over a great convention. Then George Washington was elected to be the 1 st president in Washington was fifty-seven years old at of his inauguration.
George Washington is the only president to have received 100 percent of the electoral votes. His vice president was John Adams. Washington was paid $25,000 dollars a year. But since he was already wealthy he declined his pay. Then the Congress urged him to accept his pay. So he did so that other presidents could also get paid. Washington was elected to serve a second term as president. The people wanted him to run for a third term but he refused.
George Washington helped decide where the permanent location for the government would be. He signed the Residence Act of 1790 which made the District of Columbia the permanent seat of the government. The District of Columbia is now called Washington D.C. in honor of George Washington. In March of 1797 Washington retired from the presidency. He returned to Mount Vernon to live. In 1798 he helped President John Adams plan for a Provisional Army to meet any emergency that might arise. But gave over the command and did not lead the army. He once again returned home to Mount Vernon.
George Washington died December 12, He had been working on his farm in the snow and freezing rain. He woke up with a sore throat and became very ill. He was 67 when he died. He was buried in Mount Vernon, Virginia. A monument was later built in Washington D.C. in his honor. He is on a one dollar bill and the quarter. He has also been on many postage stamps. George Washington is still known as the “Father of Our Nation”.
Click the link to see a reenactment video of George Washington’s inauguration as President of the United States of America. nel.tv/_George-Washingtons- Inaugural-Address-219-Years- Later/video/203108/9176.html