30 Interesting Facts about George Washington

George Washington was the first President of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He was born on February 22, 1732, in Virginia. Washington is known as the “Father of His Country” for his leadership during the American Revolutionary War and his role in shaping the early republic.

He commanded the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which established the framework for the U.S. government. His face is on the one-dollar bill and the quarter. Washington retired to his plantation, Mount Vernon, after his presidency, where he died on December 14, 1799.

Interesting Facts about George Washington:

1. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
2. He was the eldest of six children born to Augustine Washington and Mary Ball Washington.
3. Washington’s family owned tobacco plantations and were moderately wealthy.
4. At age 11, Washington’s father died, and he became the ward of his half-brother Lawrence.
5. He was largely self-educated and learned practical mathematics, surveying, and ethics.
6. Washington began his career as a surveyor and helped map out parts of Virginia.
7. He served as a British military officer during the French and Indian War.
8. In 1759, Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy widow with two children.
9. Washington became a delegate to the First Continental Congress in 1774.
10. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in 1775.
11. Washington led the American forces to victory over the British in the Revolutionary War.
12. He famously crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776 for a surprise attack on Trenton, New Jersey.
13. Washington’s leadership and perseverance at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778 boosted morale and strengthened the army.
14. He presided over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
15. Washington was unanimously elected as the first President of the United States in 1789.
16. He established many presidential traditions, including the inaugural address and the cabinet system.
17. Washington served two terms as President and voluntarily stepped down after his second term.
18. He is the only President to have been elected unanimously by the Electoral College.
19. Washington signed the Jay Treaty with Great Britain in 1795, which helped avert war.
20. He supported the creation of a national bank and the assumption of state debts to establish financial stability.
21. Washington warned against political factions and foreign entanglements in his Farewell Address.
22. He owned slaves but struggled with the issue of slavery and eventually freed them in his will upon his death.
23. Washington experimented with crop rotation and innovative farming techniques at Mount Vernon.
24. He was an avid hunter and horseback rider, known for his strength and endurance.
25. Washington loved dogs and had several hunting hounds at Mount Vernon.
26. He introduced the tradition of a Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789.
27. Washington was an accomplished equestrian and was known for his horsemanship.
28. He was an Anglican but attended various Christian services and respected religious freedom.
29. Washington’s face appears on Mount Rushmore alongside Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.
30. He died of a throat infection on December 14, 1799, at Mount Vernon, Virginia.