Brief Biography of George Washington: Facts about the First American President

George Washington proved to be one of the best examples of courage, integrity and perseverance in the early history of the United States of America. George Washington distinguished himself as a strong leader and earned enough trust of the people in order be elected for a second term (he could have gotten easily a chance to serve for the third term but he refused such possibility himself).

He did not like slavery but thought that a rapid abolishment of slavery was impossible at the time. When speaking of his attitude towards the foreign policy, it should be pointed out that George Washington supported the position of non-interference and neutrality.

As a result, he prompted people of America to be united and to maintain peaceful relations with other states. One of the most known Founding Fathers of the USA supported the formation of trade cooperation with the countries rather than forming a political union with them.


George Washington – 10 Interesting Facts from Biography of the First American President

#1. Birth and early childhood 

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in the countryside of Virginia in a family of Augustine Washington, an owner of tobacco plantations and Augustine’s second wife, Mary Ball Washington.

George’s father passed away, when the future first president was only 11 years old. But George Washington, being the third out of five children in the family, still was well brought up and educated at home till the age of 16.

In 1752, George inherited the Mount Vernon Manor, near Alexandria, after his brother Lawrence passed. His new neighbor was Lord Fairfax, a wealthy landowner, who over the years became the most influential mentor for George – he taught him manners and lifestyle of the upper classes, after noticing that George felt very insecure in planter society (probably due to lack of communication with people of such class).

Thanks to Lord Fairfax, George Washington managed to acquire good skills as a surveyor and took the first successful steps in his career.

#2. Following the rules from early childhood

As a child, George couldn’t even dream about having a brilliant political career or leaving a permanent trace in the history of the whole nation. He was brought up in an ordinary family, so his parents couldn’t give him much.

His road to becoming a self-made man started, when he stumbled upon a collection of rules, which were formulated by French Jesuits in the 16th century. Young George translated the title of the book, as "The rules of decent behavior and civility".

Additionally, the book contained a series of instructions on how to dress properly, keep a conversation and show good table manners. Some of these rules Washington copied in his small notebook and is said to have carried this book with him even in his adulthood.

#3. The most and the least wealthy presidents

According to historical evidence and assumptions of modern historians, George Washington and John F. Kennedy were the wealthiest of the US presidents. The cost of George Washington’s assets (plantations, real estate, etc.) would have an estimated worth at $500 million in today’s money.

John Kennedy’s fortune, the biggest part of which he inherited from his parents, would cost about $850 today. Andrew Johnson, on contrary, is considered to be the least wealthy person, who served as an American president.

#4. Where were American presidents born?

A brief analysis of the American presidents’ birthplaces shows that the biggest number of them comes from Virginia (including George Washington). The state of Ohio comes it the second place, as it has given America seven presidents.

Massachusetts and New York are the two states that tie for the third place and have four president representatives each. And finally, North Carolina, Texas, and Vermont are the birthplaces of two presidents.

#5. George Washington statue

In his lifetime, Washington never visited England and once even stated publicly that he would never set his foot on English soil. So, when in 1924 the Americans gave a statue of George Washington as a present, his words were remembered in England and his request did not go unnoticed. So before placing the monument in London, a foundation in the Trafalgar Square was filled with soil, brought from the USA.

#6. Overdue library books

George Washington is known as the first President of the United States and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, but in the eyes of New York librarians he is also a wrongdoer, who owes them a lot of money.

It is believed that over 220 years ago George Washington borrowed two books from them the New York Public Library and never returned them.

The first president perhaps had much more important things, than taking books back to the library, to take care of, but rules and rules and the fine owed by Washington for these two overdue library books has recently reached $300,000 (with account for inflation).

#7. Construction of the White House

Washington was the one to initiate the construction of the White House but never got a chance to live in it. The works on the White House were completed a year after his death.

#8. The looks

George Washington had red hair and never wore wigs but heavily powdered his hair, according to the fashion of the time.

When Washington started to serve as a president he had only one tooth left, as the lost most of them due using mercury oxide (regularly used for curing smallpox and malaria).

#9. Myth about wooden teeth

Throughout his life, Washington had dental health problems. He lost his first tooth at the age of twenty-two years and at the time of his presidency he had only one tooth left.

The myth that Washington had wooden dentures turned out to be fiction. Thanks to modern technology, the high tech scan proved that the dentures contained many materials but not wood – gold, ivory, lead, and even real teeth (human, horse and donkey).

But instead of taking care of his own teeth, Washington paid close attention to the health condition of his #horses, ordering to inspect the animals every day.

#10. Family coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Washington family has become known in the XII century, when one of George Washington’s ancestors captured Washington Old Hall Manor, located in the north-east of #England.

The coat of arms depicts a silver shield with two red belts and three red five-pointed stars.

Other quick facts about George Washington:

- Being strongly against the creation of any political parties as a whole, Washington never belonged to any similar formation. Interestingly enough, he remains to be only US president, who was never involved in such kind of political activity.

- Washington was twice elected to be the president by getting 100% of the votes. However, for his second term, he agreed reluctantly.

- In his lifetime the first president managed to write several books on how to properly manage finances and keep records of financial activity. He preferred to keep accounting records personally, claiming that it was easier to keep track of every penny this way.

- In 1752, George Washington was initiated into Freemasonry, which first appeared at the end of the 16th century.

Image credits:

1) www.upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Portrait_of_George_Washington-transparent.png
2) www.cdn.history.com/sites/2/2014/01/stars-and-stripes.jpg