Some men are born into greatness. Some are born into opulent wealth. Others are born into royalty. George Washington had none of those things. He was a simple farm boy who became one of the single most important men in American history through hard work, dedication and the rampant pursuit of the idea of freedom.

Born Feb. 22, 1732, to Augustine and Mary Ball Washington, George Washington spent his early years helping with the family farm of Pope’s Creek, near modern-day Fredericksburg, Virginia. When Washington was 11, his father died, and he began to play a much more active part in tending to the farm and helping his mother raise his five younger siblings.

After finishing his education around the age of 15, Washington used his aptitude for mathematics to become a surveyor and spent his wages on acquiring land of his own.

In 1751, Washington traveled to Barbados with his older half-brother and mentor, Lawrence, where they hoped the warmer climate would aid Lawrence’s tuberculosis. The weather didn’t help and in 1752, Lawrence died, leaving his estate on the Potomac River, Mount Vernon, to Washington.

In December 1752, Washington joined the Virginia militia, and was appointed adjutant with the rank of major, and then given the honorary rank of colonel in 1755, thanks to his intellect and charisma. Later that year, he was made commander over all of Virginia’s militia forces.

Despite this success, Washington retired his commission in 1758 and returned home to Mount Vernon. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, where he served until 1774. During this time he fell in love with and married a widow named Martha Dandridge Custis, who had two children from her previous marriage. Washington was a devoted husband to Martha and a loving stepfather to her two children.

By the late 1760s, Washington had grown tired of the rising British taxes and served as a representative to the First Continental Congress in 1774. Less than a year later, the Second Continental Congress convened, where Washington was appointed general of the Continental Army.

As the commander in chief, Washington was best known not for his strategies and tactics, but rather for his unwavering leadership, keeping together a new, poorly-supplied army with the power of his words and actions. Soldiers starved, froze, went without shoes, fought with farming implements like rakes and hoes, but Washington held the army together with his guidance and motivation.

After the United States won the war with the help of the French, Washington returned to Mount Vernon to live a life of peace and quiet. However, the citizens of the newly-established nation had something else in mind.

In 1787, Washington was asked to head the committee to establish a constitution in the United States, and due to his excellent leadership, was also recommended to become the nation’s first president. Reluctantly, Washington gave in to public opinion and won the presidency in a landslide. The nation inaugurated Washington as the first president of the United States of America on April 30, 1789.

Knowing that his actions would set a precedent for all future presidents, Washington acted with civility, morality and kindness in his dealings with Congress, the Supreme Court and the leaders of other countries. He established a national bank and formed a cabinet of advisors to help with decisions. He also favored a position of neutrality with other world conflicts.

In 1796, Washington declined to serve a third term as president and retired to Mount Vernon. He spent his time and efforts restoring the plantation to the glory it had shown before he became president. In December 1799, Washington caught a cold, which developed into a throat infection, and died Dec. 14, 1799.

Washington’s legacy lives on, with his face appearing on the one dollar bill and quarter coin, the capital of the country bearing his name, and a United States Navy aircraft carrier named in his honor. Washington is entombed at his home at Mount Vernon, which is now open to visitors year-round.

All facts in the article, as well as additional information about our nation’s first president, can be found at https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/george-washington and https://www.biography.com/people/george-washington-9524786.

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