{\b George Washington}.

{\b Date of Birth}.: 22 February 1732

{\b Date of Death}.: 14 December 1799

{\b Works}.

American soldier, politician and statesman, first President of the United 
States of America (1789-97). The 'Father of America', he wrote many letters,  
made speeches and signed documents which were all vital in the making of the 
United States. As President of the Federal Convention in 1787 he supported the 
ratification of the Constitution in order to "establish good order and 
government and to render the nation happy at home and respected abroad". The 
Convention gave great executive powers to the President in the belief that 
Washington would take up the position. When elected President, he demanded, in 
his first inaugural address (30 April 1789), "the preservation of the sacred 
fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government ... 
entrusted to the hands of the American people". In the area of foreign 
affairs, he signed the Neutrality Proclamation on 22 April 1793 to "maintain a 
strict neutrality" and "impartial conduct" towards warring nations in Europe 
(England, Spain, Austria and Prussia were fighting against the new French 
Republic). Weary of public office, he sent his Farewell Address, originally 
composed in 1792, to the editor of the American Daily Advertiser and it was 
published on 19 September 1796.

{\b General Comment}.

Born in Westmoreland county, Virginia, Washington was the first son of a 
planter, Augustine Washington, and his second wife, Mary Ball. At seventeen he 
went to live with a half-brother, Lawrence, part of whose Mount Vernon estate 
was passed on to him in 1752. As a young Major in the army, he was sent by the 
Virginia Governor with a message for the French in 1753 and sent on another 
mission to Ohio when Lieutenant Colonel in 1754. Thereafter he took part in 
various expeditions and skirmishes, some of them disastrous. He led the 
Virginia opposition to British policy and served as a delegate to the 
Continental Congress (1774-75). He was named Commander-in-chief of continental 
forces in 1775 and assumed command of untrained officials who had to face the 
British in the War of Independence. Seen as the symbol of patriotism and 
integrity, he retired from the army in 1783 but was eventually asked to 
preside over the Federal Convention (1787) and  was unanimously elected 
President in 1789. He reluctantly agreed to a second term four years later. 
Declining a third term in 1797, he retired to his Mount Vernon estate where he 
died in 1799. As first President, he set many precedents before taking his 
place among the giants of world politics and history.