Learn About George Washington's Young Life

In this video you will learn about how George Washington grew up, his family tragedies and how he became America's president.

Learn About George Washington's Young Life George was born to Augustine and Mary Washington on February 22, 1732. He was not born into a wealthy family but as Virginia flourished, so did the Washington family. Farming and land speculation had brought the family moderate prosperity. George learned the morals, manners and body of knowledge important for an 18th century Virginia gentleman. However, when George was 11 years old, his family was dealt a terrible setback. Augustine, George’s father, became ill and died. His mother Mary was a tough and driven woman, so naturally, she fought to hold on to their home. She wanted to send George to school in England, but these plans were abandoned because never received more than the equivalent of an elementary school education. Although George was shy and not highly literate, he was a large, strong and handsome child. Washington grew to be over six feet tall. He had big muscles, big feet in size 13 and big moves. They were always graceful and powerful. His older half brother, Lawrence looked out for him as he grew up. Lawrence advised the boy about his future and introduced him to Lord Fairfax, head of one of the most powerful families in Virginia. Washington was able to earn enough money to begin buying plots of land. By the age of 21, he owned more than 1500 acres, all purchased out of his own accounts. Tragedy once again visited the Washington family, George’s beloved half brother and mentor, Lawrence contracted an aggressive illness. In 1752, Lawrence died. He left George with the responsibility of caring for his Mount Vernon estate and asked him to replace his office as a general of the colony. Soon after returning to Virginia, George, barely out of his teens, lobbied the colonial government for the same post his brother had and was awarded it. The young man possessed no military training whatsoever and it soon showed in disastrous fashion. In the spring of 1754, George put together a poorly trained and equipped force of 150 men and set out to reinforce troops building the stock gate which he called for necessity. On the way, he ran into a small French force and promptly attacked it killing 10 of the French. Because one of the men killed was a French ambassador delivering a message to the British, Washington had taken part in the killing of an Ambassador, a serious violation of international conduct. Not long afterward, Washington was passed over for a promotion and he resigned from the army, bitter that the British had not defended his honor. England decided that the best way to drive the French from the Ohio River valley was to send in regular troops from the Royal Army. Their commander, General Edward Braddock, needed an aid with experience in the conflict and offered the post to Washington. Eager to regain favor with the English army, Washington accepted. In July 17, 1955, Washington fought bravely despite having two horses shot from under him. Braddock was killed. His terrified British troops fled into the forest and his young aid barely escaped with his life. To convey their approval of his leadership and abilities, the colonials gave him command of all Virginian forces and charged him mainly with defending the colony’s western frontier from Native American attacks. Washington was only 22 years old. This sudden turn of events provided him with a superb apprenticeship for the supreme command that would come two decades later. Washington learned how to raise a force, train it, lead it into battle and keep it from deserting. But the young commander was always short of recruits and money and talking to the English military authorities did little good. Washington became increasingly annoyed with their lack of support in his efforts. After commanding a regimen that finally captured Fort Duquesne in 1758, he resigned from the military and went home to Mount Vernon, the farm he had inherited from Lawrence. His ways with women were not dashing. He wrote mushy love poetry that never seemed to work. That is, until he met Martha Dandridge-Custis, a rich widow from the Virginia colony. In 1759, George and Martha were married. She had two children from her previous marriage, a great deal of land, a townhouse in Williamsburg and around 300 slaves. Washington at the time had 49 slaves and about 5000 acres of land. His early married years were happy ones. Washington worked hard and learned everything he could about farming but his new occupation gave him another reason to resent the mother country. He found that he was largely at the mercy of the trade system that heavily favored British merchants in buying tobacco, his major crop. Washington opposed the British when they closed the port of Boston after colonist’s dumped tea into the harbor rather than pay the tea tax. He felt that if the British attacked one colony, they attack them all. In 1774, the first continental congress presided and colonists decided to take action against British rulers. In 1775, George was made commander in chief of the continental army. He was not a great military strategist, some say he was indecisive and slow but others knew he was determined and confident. In August 1776, the patriots were defeated by the British in Long Island. Most people would have lost hope at this point, but not George Washington. On December 25th of that same year, he led his 2400-men army across the icy Delaware River through the darkness. The enemy was taken by surprise. Washington had won an important battle at Trenton, New Jersey. Even though Washington’s army was poorly equipped, he kept them together and secured victory in 1781. He retired from the army in 1783 to be a private citizen on the banks of the Potomac, but his private life did not last long. In 1787, Washington became a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and helps draft a new system of democratic government. George was chosen president of the convention and pushed for giving the leader of the new government strong powers. The constitution of the Unites States was ratified and approved on June 21, 1788.