George Washington was the first American President. He was born in Pope’s Creek, Virginia, on 22nd February 1732. His parents were Augustine Washington, father, and Mary Ball Washington, Mother.
He married Martha Dandridge Custis on 6th January 1759 but did not have any biological children.
George Washington was an iconic soldier and political leader who had a passion for farming and animals; this led him to be the first American mule breeder. He was a huge dog lover and referred to as the “Father of the American Foxhound.”
Interesting Facts
1. Presidency
President George Washington was unanimously elected twice as the President of the United States. He served two terms from 30th April 1789 to 4TH March 1797 when he resigned. Interestingly, George Washington borrowed money to attend his first presidential inauguration ceremony. He was deemed fit to be the ideal presidential candidate due to his leadership in the revolution, disciplined character, and respect to not abuse power.
2. Birth Date
The original birth date of George Washington was 11th February 1731. However, the switch to the Gregorian calendar contributed to the change of dates of his birth date to 22nd February 1732.
3. Education
He was able to acquire only a grade school education till the death of his father. Washington’s dad died at 111 years old.
Despite not getting any higher education, he self-educated and read a lot. It helped him through his career as a soldier, farmer, and President.
4. Religion
He served as a vestryman and churchwarden in his local Anglican church, while his wife Martha devoted her time daily in prayer. Although he served in the church, he was neither a religious nor a devoted Christian. Washington wouldn’t partake of the Holy Communion.
5. Votes
President George Washington was the only President in the United States to gain 100% of the electoral votes in both terms. In his second inauguration, he delivered the shortest presidential inaugural speech in the United States at a mere 134 words.
6. Career
He kickstarted his career as a surveyor at 16 years old and was appointed a county surveyor in Culpeper County in 1749. George Washington served in the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1758 until 1776. Washington became Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in 1775.
7. United States Constitution
In 1787, George Washington spearheaded the amendment and creation of a new form of government. He was accorded the privilege to be the first to append his name and signature on the amended Articles of Confederation in 1787.
8. White House
He was the only United President who never lived in the White House since it was completed after his death.
9. Slaves
At the age of 11 years, George Washington inherited ten slaves from his father’s will, and throughout his entire life, he bought, rented, and inherited 577 slaves. His thinking on slavery evolved over the years, and on his deathbed, he wrote a will that had an order to free his slaves when his wife Martha died.
10. Ranking in the Military
Washington was awarded the highest rank in the U.S military in 1976 since he was viewed as the father of the U.S military. His title was “General of the Armies of the United States.”
11. First Love
Sally Fairfax was George Washington’s first love who was married to his best friend, George Fairfax. Sally Fairfax is believed to play a major role in George Washington’s life by teaching him how to dance the minuet, behave, and converse among powerful and wealthy people.
12. Agricultural Innovator
George Washington displayed a great interest in coming up with innovations that would change the agricultural sector. He had an open mind in experimenting with new crops, new farm tools, diverse planting methods, and cross-breeding animals.
George Washington designed a threshing barn through his agricultural innovation quest that was used to separate the chaff from the wheat.
13. Land Owner
He owned vast land of more than 50,000 acres in Maryland, New York, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. He heavily advocated for the westward expansion.
14. Travel
The only time George Washington left the mainland of North America was in 1751. He traveled to the Island of Barbados with his half-brother Lawrence Washington. During this expedition, he contracted smallpox and recovered hence being immune to the disease.
15. War
He is the only U.S President that went to war serving as President on 19th September 1794. George Washington lost more battles than he won.
16. Dentures
He wore dentures made from human teeth extracted from his slaves and lead, ivory, cow teeth, and gold.
17. Salary
His salary was equated to two percent of the total U.S budget in 1789.
18. Spymaster
Although he didn’t win many battles and wasn’t that of a great general, George Washington was an excellent spymaster, and he used this technique to create a secret intelligent network that provides him with information to make bold decisions to triumph the Revolutionary War.
19. Prolific Letter Writer
George Washington was an inveterate letter writer who penned down almost 18,000 to 20,000 letters in his lifetime.
20. Seven Years’ War
At only 22 years, He sparked the French and Indian war, which was linked to the conflict between Great Britain and France. He initiated this war in 1754 at Jumonville Glen when he led an impromptu attack on a small French Force. It led to an escalated conflict that spread worldwide.
21. Hemp
Washington grew hemp as a cash crop used to manufacture rope and paper.
22. Entrepreneur
George Washington was a successful businessman who ventured into the liquor distribution business and developed a whiskey distillery at his Mount Vernon residence in 1798.
23. Health
Washington had a challenge with his health due to the many diseases. Some of the diseases he contracted include; malaria, pneumonia, smallpox, tonsillitis, diphtheria, carbuncle, tuberculosis, and dysentery. He finally succumbed to epiglottitis.
24. Infertility
It is believed that George Washington was maybe infertile due to infections contracted from tuberculosis which made him unable to bear any biological children.
25. Death
George Washington died from a throat infection called epiglottitis at approximately 10 pm on 14th December 1799 at Mount Vernon. He was very fearful of being buried alive thus ordered that he be buried three days after his death.
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