1. George Washington First President – 1789-1797 George Washington (1732-99) was commander in chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-83) and served two terms as the first U.S. president, from 1789 to 1797. As president, he handed down a legacy of strength, integrity and national purpose. Less than three years after leaving office, he died at his Virginia plantation, Mount Vernon, at age 67.

2. An Officer and Gentleman Farmer In December 1752, Washington was made a commander of the Virginia militia. He saw action in the French and Indian War and was eventually put in charge of all of Virginia's militia forces. By 1759, Washington had resigned his commission, and was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses where he served until 1774. In January 1759, he married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy widow with two children. Washington became a devoted stepfather to the children; he and Martha never had any offspring of their own.

3. Washington served as a delegate to the First Continental Congress in 1774 in Philadelphia. By the time the Second Continental Congress convened a year later, the American Revolution had begun in earnest, and Washington was named commander in chief of the Continental Army. Washington proved to be a better general than military strategist. His strength lay not in his genius on the battlefield but in his ability to keep the struggling colonial army together. His troops were poorly trained and lacked food, ammunition and other supplies (soldiers sometimes even went without shoes in winter). However, Washington was able to give them the direction and motivation to keep going.Continental CongressAmerican Revolution

4. The First President In 1783, with a peace treaty signed between Great Britain and the U.S., Washington, believing he had done his duty, gave up his command of the army and returned to Mount Vernon, intent on resuming his life as a gentleman farmer and family man. However, in 1787, he was asked to attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and head the committee to draft the new constitution. His impressive leadership there convinced the delegates that he was by far the most qualified man to become the nation's first president.

5. Presidential Accomplishments In foreign matters, he supported cordial relations with other countries but also favored a position of neutrality in foreign conflicts. Domestically, he nominated the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Jay (1745-1829), signed a bill establishing the first national bank and set up his own presidential cabinet. His two most prominent cabinet appointees were Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson (1743- 1826) and Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), two men who disagreed strongly on the role of the federal government. Hamilton favored a strong central government, while Jefferson favored stronger states' rights. Washington believed that divergent views were critical for the health of the nation.Thomas JeffersonAlexander Hamilton

7. Washington’s Farewell Address In 1796, after two terms as president and declining to serve a third term, Washington finally retired. His Farewell Address emphasized the following - It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world..." Avoid political parties that “agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one....against another...” Neutrality abroad; unity at home.

8. George Washington’s Vices Bad teeth women

9. Legacy Washington left one of the most enduring legacies of any American in history. Known as the "Father of His Country," his face appears on the U.S. dollar bill and quarter, and hundreds of U.S. schools and towns, as well as the nation's capital city, are named for him.

10. Final Thoughts It can’t be overstated that there was no United States before Washington, and likely never would have been one without him. Historically-minded intellectuals like Jefferson and Adams might have understood the perils of disunity, but no individual other than Washington had earned the kind of honor among men that overawed all factionalism and inspired them to embrace a new national hope.