Our+Revolutionary+Leader

Boston, MA   By: Jonathan Litteral Our Revolutionary Leader

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. His family had much success in Colonial Virginia growing tobacco. Washington had an early interest in military art and westward expansion. At the age of 16, Washington assisted Lord Fairfax to survey the Shenandoah Mountains. The Fairfax family, who were wealthy and powerful, helped promote Washington and his career in the military. In 1754, Washington was pulled into the first fightings of the French and Indian War. Washington assisted the General Braddock and was able to escape any injury and enjoy some success as a soldier. After the French and Indian War, George married and went on about his life as almost everyone else did. However, he grew impatient and unsatisfied with the relations between himself as a grower and the British merchants and the homeland’s regulations. His vocal objections to British regulation earned him a spot as a delegate of Virginia at the Second Continental Congress. During that meeting of the Second Continental Congress in 1775, Washington was elected as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. He quickly leapt to training his troops and when battle broke out at Lexington and Concord later that year, Washington rose to the challenge. His fighting style was more of a defensive nature. Meaning, he didn’t want his troops to fight unless they had to. Despite that philosophy, Washington took advantage of opportunity when it was presented on Christmas Day 1775 and overtook the redcoats at Trenton. Washington and his men endured terrible conditions, many lacked proper clothing, gear and training. Despite these conditions, the men flourished and emerged from the bleak winter of Valley Forge ready to win the American Revolution. In 1781, Washington’s hard work and dedication were rewarded when the battle began moving southward. Coordinating with French troops and their excellent naval forces, Washington and his men were able to corner and trap the Redcoats led by General Cornwallis. This battle in Yorktown, VA would be the final battle and effectively end the revolutionary war.