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George Washington was chosen to be the leader of the American army against the French because he knew the woods so well. In Europe, this was called "The Seven Years War," but the Americans called it "The French and Indian War." The English won the war. After Washington left the army, he got married to Martha Danridge Custis in 1759. Everything was good for a little while until the English wanted the Americans to pay for the war with France. The Americans refused. The Second Continental Congress formed the Continental Army and made George Washington a general. He started training his 14,000 men. On April 19, 1775, war broke out between the colonies and Great Britain. This was the Battle of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. Washington took his men across the Delaware River, but the Redcoats couldn't cross it because they didn't have boats. General Washington thought his army should fight defensively, meaning not fighting unless they had to, but he saw a perfect chance to attack the British. On Christmas Eve, they attacked the Redcoats' camp at Trenton. Washington's men really trusted him. Once in the middle of a battle, Washington rode out on his horse and waved his hat at his men. This made them fight harder. The Americans won battles because they were fighting on their own soil for their own country, and they were Patriots who would never give up. During the terrible winter at Valley Forge, Martha Washington came to help the soldiers that were sick. They went without food for weeks but the soldiers held up till the food came. France wanted to help the Americans win, so they sent ships, soldiers, weapons and money. Benjamin Franklin had convinced France to join the American side in the spring of 1778. By October, 1781, the colonists were ready to trap the Redcoats. They circled around the city of Yorktown, Virginia, where the huge British army was located, attacked them and won the Battle of Yorktown. This ended the major Revolutionary War fighting. The Peace Treaty of Paris was signed on Sept. 3, 1783. Yorktown is known today as Williamsburg, Virginia. After the war, George Washington became President of the Constitutional Convention. He let all his slaves go. Because he was a great general, he was elected as the First President of the United States. Some people wanted him to be a king, because countries of that time were ruled by kings. He said that America had been under a king's rule long enough. George Washington died on
Dec. 14, 1799. Because he was such a great leader,
George Washington is remembered and honored. His
face is on the U.S. dollar bill and on our
quarters. Many places are named after him, like
Washington, D.C., universities, streets, counties,
and the state of Washington. The Washington
Monument is dedicated to his memory. George
Washington is called "the Father of our
country." The Liberty Bell is an
important symbol of our freedom. The first Liberty
Bell cracked the first time it was rung. They made
another bell to replace it. This one also cracked,
was repaired, but it cracked for the second time at
a special celebration remembering George Washington
in 1846! Even during the war, Generals
and other soldiers were expected to act like
gentlemen. George Washington did. When General
Howe's dog accidentally crossed American lines,
Washington wrote a letter to General Howe and
returned the dog to him. There is a myth that George
Washington chopped down a cherry tree. When his
father asked him if he had chopped the tree down,
he said, "I cannot tell a lie." This story was
created in 1809 by Parson Weems who wanted to
establish George Washington as a model for other
Americans. Parson Weems wanted Americans to be
honest and trustworthy. There is another myth about
George Washington's teeth. The rumor was that his
teeth were made of wood. They weren't, but the
story is interesting! Photo courtesy of Art
Today. Try the Mount Vernon site for George Washington. Visit the Washington Monument. The Papers of George Washington. General Howe's Dog. Learn about Parson Weems and see a painting of Washington and the Cherry Tree. Were George Washington's Teeth Really Made of Wood? Visit George Washington at Sherwood's Hallway of Heroes. |
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