Slave owner with a basic education
George Washington was born February 22, 1732, to Augustine and Mary Washington. His father, a respected magistrate, died when Washington was 11. The family was comfortable, but there was no money for an English-style formal education, unlike his brothers who attended similar schools. As a result, Washington’s sole formal schooling was a year at a parish school, after which his mother urged him to help manage inherited property and a tobacco farm.
At 16, the future first president began work as a surveyor. This role demanded lifelong self-education more than classroom learning, and Washington embraced continuous learning throughout his life. In youth, he earned praise for his precise writing and clear expression in his native language, and he even copied an entire etiquette textbook by hand to improve his education.
Washington’s father left him a solid livelihood on the Mount Vernon tobacco estate, though the ownership of enslaved people would cast a long shadow. On the estate, about two dozen enslaved individuals worked the land. When one escaped after the Declaration of Independence, Washington pursued him for three years, an action that reflected the complex attitudes of that era. Washington spoke repeatedly against slavery in his letters and ultimately freed some enslaved people through his will. Yet during his lifetime he did not take sweeping, immediate action to abolish forced labor, and the practice of freeing slaves by will persisted for generations in various societies.
The fact that Washington owned enslaved people is frequently discussed in contemporary discourse. Some critics argue that it challenges the moral framing of the American founding, while others emphasize the contradictions between Enlightenment ideals and the realities of the era.
Triggered a global conflict by clashing with a future ally
In the mid-18th century, Britain fought to dominate North America as European powers vied for control of France’s expanding territories. George Washington, then a 22-year-old officer in the British Army, led a detachment of 150 Virginia militiamen in May 1754. They moved to the Ohio Valley to defend a fort against French claims on the land. Washington acted decisively, initiating an attack on a French camp where 35 soldiers faced 40 militiamen and allied Indigenous forces.
Accounts of the Battle of Great Meadows differ, but it is clear that many French soldiers were wounded or killed, including Commander Joseph-Colon de Jumonville. What began as a frontier skirmish quickly drew broader attention. The French viewed Jumonville’s death as an assassination rather than a battlefield loss, prompting a harsh response. The incident drew in King Louis XV and led to large-scale European mobilization in subsequent years. In 1756, France and Britain formally declared war, kicking off the Seven Years’ War, a global conflict that drew in major powers and reshaped colonial maps.
Washington’s name became well known in both the British and colonial spheres. The French and others compared him to a spark that could ignite far-reaching consequences. Later, during the American War of Independence, Washington would align with France, which supported the American cause. He had previously urged accountability for casualties on his side as the conflict intensified.
Freemasonry and public religion
This topic appears in many theories about Masonic influence and the shaping of the United States. Washington himself faced questions about Freemasonry and its perceived role in society. He publicly expressed doubt about any plan to spread Satanic doctrine or radical ideas through lodges. He stated that Masonic principles rested on goodwill and aimed to benefit humanity, while acknowledging concerns that organizations can be misused by unscrupulous hands.
Washington joined the Masonic lodge at age 20 and achieved Master status. Later, as military duties intensified, his lodge attendance declined, but he remained aligned with the values of enlightenment, rationality, and fraternity. His inaugural address in 1789 contained references interpreted by many as Masonic symbolism, including the notion of a guiding, benevolent architect of the universe.
Historians disagree about Washington’s personal faith. He seldom spoke openly about a specific denomination and sometimes attended church, sometimes didn’t. His writings reflect an openness to religious pluralism and the Enlightenment idea that a moral order could be anchored in broader philosophical principles rather than a single creed.
He did not seize power; he became a steady leader
In 1775, Washington commanded the Continental Army in the fight for independence. Though regarded as the most seasoned military mind among the revolutionaries, he repeatedly reminded Congress that he was not inherently suited to supreme command. Yet his leadership proved pivotal. In December 1776, after a dire period for the rebels, he executed a bold maneuver by crossing the Delaware River and striking at Trenton, New Jersey, capturing a significant number of enemy soldiers. The victory energized the American cause and drew fresh volunteers to the army.
By war’s end, Washington’s authority was undeniable. He refused personal power yet accepted responsibility for shaping the new nation. Accounts and rumors circulated about his future plans, with some suggesting he might crown himself king. Instead, he stepped away from public rule and helped establish a constitutional framework that would govern the fledgling nation.
He declined a third term and helped set a precedent for a peaceful transfer of power. The two-term tradition endured until Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served four terms, and a formal amendment later limited presidents to two terms. Washington’s decision today stands as a cornerstone of American democratic practice.
Near-mythic status after death
Washington’s death in 1799 at 67 prompted a wave of posthumous stories. One tale recounts a physician’s controversial plan to revive him through a sequence of medical and magical ideas. The plan was rejected by Washington’s widow, who chose to honor her husband’s legacy and dignity, prioritizing his memory over such schemes.
In later years, the idea persisted in folklore that Washington’s presence could be renewed, revealing the enduring power of his legacy in both American memory and national identity.