George Washington's Birthday
In the first half of the 18th century, Americans operated under the old style Julian calendar (named for Julius Caesar). According to that calendar, George Washington, the first President of the United States, was born on February 11, 1731. But when the colony of Virginia changed to the Gregorian calendar (the calendar named for Pope Gregory XIII) implemented in the British Empire in 1752, according to the provisions of the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750, the date of George Washington's birth became February 22, 1732. So that makes today George Washington's 293rd birthday.
The story about a young George Washington chopping down a cherry tree (and fessing up when busted for it) is now acknowledged to be a myth, and is called "Parson Weems' Fable" (after the so-called "historian" who first told the story). But even so, there is much to be impressed about the first child of Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Ball Washington. George Washington was born on his father's Pope's Creek Estate near present-day Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Washington's ancestors were from Sulgrave, England; his great-grandfather, John Washington, had immigrated to Virginia in 1657. George's father Augustine was a slave-owning tobacco planter who later tried his hand in iron-mining. The Washingtons were relatively prosperous members of the Virginia gentry.
George's father died when George was 11 years old, after which George's half-brother Lawrence became a surrogate father and role model. William Fairfax, Lawrence's father-in-law and cousin of Virginia's largest landowner, Thomas, Lord Fairfax, was also a mentor and a strong influence on young George. Lawrence Washington inherited another family property from his father, a plantation on the Potomac River which he later named Mount Vernon. George inherited Ferry Farm upon his father's death, and eventually acquired Mount Vernon after Lawrence's death.
The death of his father prevented Washington from crossing the Atlantic to receive the rest of his education at England's Appleby School, as his older brothers had done. He was educated by a variety of tutors, and also a school run by an Anglican clergyman in or near Fredericksburg. His mother nixed young George's plans of securing an appointment in the Royal Navy when he was 15. Thanks to Lawrence's connection to the powerful Fairfax family, at age 17 in 1749, Washington was appointed official surveyor for Culpepper County, a well-paid position which enabled him to purchase land in the Shenandoah Valley, the first of his many land acquisitions in western Virginia.
Washington was six feet tall, which was NBA tall for the times. He is said to have towered over most of his contemporaries. In 1751, Washington traveled to Barbados with Lawrence, who was suffering from tuberculosis, in the hope that the climate would be beneficial to Lawrence's health. Washington contracted smallpox during the trip, which left his face slightly scarred, but immunized him against future exposures to the dreaded disease. Lawrence's health did not improve; he returned to Mount Vernon, where he died in 1752. Washington was appointed by Governor Dinwiddie to the rank of major in the Virginia militia in 1753. He also joined the Freemasons in Fredericksburg at this time.
Washington quickly became a senior officer in the colonial forces during the first stages of the French and Indian War. Chosen by the Continental Congress in 1775 to be commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolution, Washington managed to force the British out of Boston in 1776, but was defeated and almost captured later that year when he lost New York City. After crossing the Delaware River in the dead of winter, he defeated the British in two battles, retook New Jersey and restored momentum to the Patriot cause. Revolutionary forces ultimately captured two major British armies at Saratoga in 1777 and Yorktown in 1781. It wasn't easy for Washington, as he had to hold together the army, amid poor morale, a lack of support from colonial governments, a meddling congress and egotistical generals. In battle Washington was repeatedly outmaneuvered by British generals with larger armies. His accomplishments are quite amazing, given all of the obstacles and the enemy that he faced.
After victory had been finalized in 1783, Washington resigned rather than seize power, proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism. Dissatisfied with the weaknesses of Articles of Confederation, in 1787 Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention that drafted the United States Constitution. He was selected as the first President in 1789 and remained in office for two precedent setting terms. He managed to keep the nation together amid the factions that competed for power: the Federalists led by Treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton and the Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson. Despite this divergence, it was amazing how both sides showed great deference to their former General. He supported Alexander Hamilton's programs to pay off all state and national debt, to implement an effective tax system and to create a national bank (despite opposition from Thomas Jefferson). Washington proclaimed the U.S. neutral in the wars raging in Europe after 1793. He avoided war with Great Britain and guaranteed a decade of peace and profitable trade by securing the Jay Treaty in 1795, despite intense opposition from the Jeffersonians.
Washington retired from the presidency in 1797 and returned to his home, Mount Vernon, and his domestic life where he managed a variety of enterprises. He freed all his slaves by his final 1799 will. Washington's "Farewell Address" was an influential primer on republican virtue and a warning against partisanship, sectionalism, and involvement in foreign wars.
On his death, Washington was eulogized as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen". As the leader of the first successful revolution against a colonial empire in world history, Washington became an international symbol of liberation. He is consistently ranked among the top three presidents of the United States, according to polls of both scholars and the general public.
The story about a young George Washington chopping down a cherry tree (and fessing up when busted for it) is now acknowledged to be a myth, and is called "Parson Weems' Fable" (after the so-called "historian" who first told the story). But even so, there is much to be impressed about the first child of Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Ball Washington. George Washington was born on his father's Pope's Creek Estate near present-day Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Washington's ancestors were from Sulgrave, England; his great-grandfather, John Washington, had immigrated to Virginia in 1657. George's father Augustine was a slave-owning tobacco planter who later tried his hand in iron-mining. The Washingtons were relatively prosperous members of the Virginia gentry.
George's father died when George was 11 years old, after which George's half-brother Lawrence became a surrogate father and role model. William Fairfax, Lawrence's father-in-law and cousin of Virginia's largest landowner, Thomas, Lord Fairfax, was also a mentor and a strong influence on young George. Lawrence Washington inherited another family property from his father, a plantation on the Potomac River which he later named Mount Vernon. George inherited Ferry Farm upon his father's death, and eventually acquired Mount Vernon after Lawrence's death.
The death of his father prevented Washington from crossing the Atlantic to receive the rest of his education at England's Appleby School, as his older brothers had done. He was educated by a variety of tutors, and also a school run by an Anglican clergyman in or near Fredericksburg. His mother nixed young George's plans of securing an appointment in the Royal Navy when he was 15. Thanks to Lawrence's connection to the powerful Fairfax family, at age 17 in 1749, Washington was appointed official surveyor for Culpepper County, a well-paid position which enabled him to purchase land in the Shenandoah Valley, the first of his many land acquisitions in western Virginia.
Washington was six feet tall, which was NBA tall for the times. He is said to have towered over most of his contemporaries. In 1751, Washington traveled to Barbados with Lawrence, who was suffering from tuberculosis, in the hope that the climate would be beneficial to Lawrence's health. Washington contracted smallpox during the trip, which left his face slightly scarred, but immunized him against future exposures to the dreaded disease. Lawrence's health did not improve; he returned to Mount Vernon, where he died in 1752. Washington was appointed by Governor Dinwiddie to the rank of major in the Virginia militia in 1753. He also joined the Freemasons in Fredericksburg at this time.
Washington quickly became a senior officer in the colonial forces during the first stages of the French and Indian War. Chosen by the Continental Congress in 1775 to be commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolution, Washington managed to force the British out of Boston in 1776, but was defeated and almost captured later that year when he lost New York City. After crossing the Delaware River in the dead of winter, he defeated the British in two battles, retook New Jersey and restored momentum to the Patriot cause. Revolutionary forces ultimately captured two major British armies at Saratoga in 1777 and Yorktown in 1781. It wasn't easy for Washington, as he had to hold together the army, amid poor morale, a lack of support from colonial governments, a meddling congress and egotistical generals. In battle Washington was repeatedly outmaneuvered by British generals with larger armies. His accomplishments are quite amazing, given all of the obstacles and the enemy that he faced.
After victory had been finalized in 1783, Washington resigned rather than seize power, proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism. Dissatisfied with the weaknesses of Articles of Confederation, in 1787 Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention that drafted the United States Constitution. He was selected as the first President in 1789 and remained in office for two precedent setting terms. He managed to keep the nation together amid the factions that competed for power: the Federalists led by Treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton and the Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson. Despite this divergence, it was amazing how both sides showed great deference to their former General. He supported Alexander Hamilton's programs to pay off all state and national debt, to implement an effective tax system and to create a national bank (despite opposition from Thomas Jefferson). Washington proclaimed the U.S. neutral in the wars raging in Europe after 1793. He avoided war with Great Britain and guaranteed a decade of peace and profitable trade by securing the Jay Treaty in 1795, despite intense opposition from the Jeffersonians.
Washington retired from the presidency in 1797 and returned to his home, Mount Vernon, and his domestic life where he managed a variety of enterprises. He freed all his slaves by his final 1799 will. Washington's "Farewell Address" was an influential primer on republican virtue and a warning against partisanship, sectionalism, and involvement in foreign wars.
On his death, Washington was eulogized as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen". As the leader of the first successful revolution against a colonial empire in world history, Washington became an international symbol of liberation. He is consistently ranked among the top three presidents of the United States, according to polls of both scholars and the general public.