George Washington, “The Father of His Country”, was born on February 22, 1732 in Virginia. Of all the presidents of the United States, Washington is the most admired and respected. As the Commander of the Continental Army, he was very appreciated for his leadership and victories in the American Revolutionary War. His presidency occurred before the nation delved into partisan politics, of which he warned against. As a result, he had few opponents and his two terms in office would be modeled by every one of his successors.
With little known about his childhood, Washington’s story begins before the Seven Years’ War. While the global conflict originated from disputes between European powers, his actions instigated the French and Indian War. North America was divided into colonies controlled by the three major powers of France, Great Britain, and Spain. The colonists of New France started establishing forts along the Ohio Valley, a disputed area between the English and French. The Thirteen Colonies of Britain felt their capacity to expand west was threatened and hired George Washington to lead a militia into Ohio and ambush a French military detachment. His short-lived victory was interrupted when more French forces arrived to surround his hastily-built fort. With the help of American Indian allies and adopting their tactics, the French forced Washington to surrender. Despite more British setbacks, the French were ultimately defeated and their mainland colonies incorporated into the British Empire. The American colonists felt great pride in having contributed to the British victory.
Although the war was won, the British had accumulated enormous war debt. Parliament subsequently passed new revenue taxes on the Thirteen Colonies. Though the taxes were cheaper than those in England, the colonists believed the taxes were a violation against their civil rights. The statement “no taxation without representation” was the claim that only colonial governments could levy taxes on the colonies since the people were represented in these legislatures but not in Parliament. Parliament and King George III wouldn’t relent and started sending troops to unruly cities like Boston. The Continental Congress was created out of the delegations from each of the colonies and nominated George Washington as head of the Continental Army. The firefights at Lexington and Concord began the war and Washington demonstrated great strength and determination. His greatest achievement was keeping the army together through mutinies, hunger, winter, and serious military losses until the French could send supplies and troops. Through these means, the British were forced to open negotiations and granted the colonies their independence.
It wasn’t long before the government established during the Revolution showed its inefficiencies. A large rebellion convinced many delegates including Washington to draft a new Constitution. Presiding over the meetings, Washington oversaw the exchange of ideas and debates throughout a hot summer in Philadelphia. Once the Constitution was ratified, the first election took place and Washington remains the only president to be unanimously elected. Knowing his presidency would set precedents for the years to come, he took great caution in every action he took. He used his veto sparingly so that future presidents wouldn’t abuse this executive power. Believing no man was wise enough to rule alone, he created a cabinet of officials who advised and counseled the president as well as engaged in debates to convince him of what decisions to make. He established “executive privilege” when he withheld diplomatic documents from Congress to maintain national security. He kept the nation out of the war between Great Britain and Revolutionary France. After serving two terms in office, he warned the nation in his Farewell Address to avoid alliances with foreign nations and the creation of political parties that could tear the nation apart. While his warnings were eventually ignored, his memory remains ingrained in the history of the U.S. and its citizens.
- Antonin Ducroux - USA (East Coast)
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