This page of biographical information tells the story or George Washingtons life during the revolutionary war and his presidency. It describes Washington's climb to the position of president.
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| When fighting broke out between Massachusetts and the British in 1775, the continental congress named Washington commander in chief of the newly formed Continental Army. He took command of the army and laid siege on the British in Boston and in 1776 the British ran from Boston. Washington then moved his army to New York. Defeated there by the British he retreated to establish a defensive line north of New York City. In November he retreated again crossing the Hudson into New Jersey and then a month later crossed the Delaware to Pennsylvania. Washington was depressed by the British’s easy victory for the occupancy of New York and northern New Jersey but luckily Washington had spotted places were the British were to widespread. Crossing the icy Delaware on the night of Christmas, 1776 he captured Trenton New Jersey in a surprise attack the following morning. Then shortly after the turn of the year, he defeated British troops in a marvelous victory at Princeton.
These two battles gave a huge boost in morale and by springtime Washington had 8000 new recruits, but not only did it give patriot morale a boost but those two battles convinced France to see Benjamin Franklin, who was in France as an ambassador. Ben Franklin was so good at convincing people that he persuaded the king of France to help the Americans. Then, in late August the British landed an army at the head of Chesapeake Bay. Washington tried to stop the British's movement toward Philadelphia but was unsuccessful. The British then captured Philadelphia, the current capital of the nation. Washington and his men were really depressed at the capture of Philadelphia and spent the rest of the winter at Valley Forge. When his fortunes seemed to have reached their lowest point he thwarted a plan by his rivals in congress to have him removed as commander in chief. In June 1778 after France entered the war the new British commander evacuated Philadelphia and marched overland to New York, and Washington then attacked him at Monmouth, but unfortunately lost again. In 1780 about 6000 French troops arrived which increased Washington’s troops. Washington hoped for a combined American-French assault on New York, but in august he received word that a huge French fleet with 36 boats was proceeding to Chesapeake Bay for a combined land and sea attack on another British army in Virginia, and agreed to march south. Washington sent word ahead to the French commander Marquis de Lafayette to keep the British commander, Lord Cornwallis, from leaving his base at Yorktown and Lafayette did just that. At the end of September the French-American army joined Lafayette. Outnumbering the enemy 2 to 1 Washington forced Lord Cornwallis to surrender on July 4, 1783 in what would be the last battle of the American Revolution. In 1783, following the American Revolution, a colonel suggested to General Washington that the army establish a monarchy and make him king. It could have happened, Washington was loved by his troops, and he had survived a difficult war with his men. But Washington firmly believed in democracy, and was horrified at the colonel's suggestion: "Banish these thoughts from your mind," he replied. In 1789, was elected as the first President of the United States. He was sworn-in in New York City, the only President not sworn-in in Washington, DC. Washington proved to be the best person possible for the job. He made the presidency a position of respect and loyalty, as he established a federal government out of what had been a loose collection of 13 states. During his two terms in office, he allowed ALexander Hamilton to put the U.S. on sound financial footing, passed the Bill of Rights, and made the national government central to the life of the nation. |
