President Washington Biography

With a portrait of Washington, engraved in St. Petersburg, shortly before the beginning of the Great French Revolution, a stubborn struggle broke out between England and its North American colonies that achieved complete political independence. This struggle, which was extremely difficult for the Americans and demanding from them extreme tension of forces, was crowned with a complete triumph of the colonies over a powerful metropolis and led to the foundation of the vast republic - the North American United States, whose share fell a huge role in the history of mankind.

The American revolution owes its success to a large extent to its military leader - George Washington, who, at the end of the struggle with England, became the first president of the young Zaatlantic Republic. George Washington is one of the most remarkable, original and bright personalities that have ever acted in history; It is not surprising, therefore, even sober, practical Yankees surround their beloved national hero with a halo of the superman, endow him, just like Franklin and Lincoln, all kinds of virtues, preventing him from no shortcomings, no weaknesses, or even errors.

But, in truth, Washington-House is much more interesting than Washington-Polubog; Although life, deeds, thoughts, feelings and character contain a lot of instructive for ordinary mortals, but there is no doubt that he had shortcomings, both personal and state -plan, as well as the disadvantages of the era in which he lived. No matter how far we are from the enrichment of the heroes, but we cannot but admit that Washington is an extremely rare example of a harmonious combination of the best qualities of human nature.

Such people everywhere, wherever they appear, spread good and light around them, for they are closer than other people, approach the ideal of a person. With amazing kindness, they are distinguished by a powerful spirit, thanks to which they calmly treat all the vicissitudes of life; Without hesitation, they will sacrifice personal benefits for the triumph of truth and justice, for the sake of the happiness of their neighbors.

Such was Washington, which reminds of the heroes of antiquity rather than the sons of the present tense. With all this, Washington was also a true American, the bearer and exponent of the best aspirations, feelings and thoughts of his nation, and therefore he was more than anyone else, was able to carry out a popular business. Although he was born and raised in a prosperous, even aristocratic environment, but it deeply introduced the democratic trends of freedom -loving American colonists; In addition, it was a real “Maker of Himself” self -taught in every sense, owed himself both his knowledge and the development of will, as is appropriate to the American.

He believed with all his heart to the unshakability of democratic principles, believed that political independence would make his compatriots happier, create a more worthy life for them, and therefore all sorts of ambitious ideas were alien to him, and he was far from abusing his military power as Cromwell or Napoleon, although they could easily follow their footsteps; But a violation of the confidence of the people seemed to him a sacrilege.

The deep mind, combined with the practical meaning of the present Yankee, inexhaustible energy, unshakable will, moral principles, and with all that simplicity and modesty - the privilege of truly great natures, - Washington possessed all these qualities to a high degree; The best leader would hardly have been able to find the Americans, at that time still very weak compared to their enemies.

How he applied his abilities to the matter, how he knew how to understand the mood, needs of the army and people, to which his personality could lead the course of historical events, will show his detailed biography in connection with social, political and economic facts, among which he had to act. Chapter I. Childhood and youth of Washington [edit] the ancestors of Washington.

It came from the noble English aristocracy, which appeared in history already in the 12th century. The Washington in England were the knights of the bishop of Durmamsky and became famous for their campaigns against wild scottes. In the XVI century, the Washington family broke up into several branches. The ancestor of the branch from which the leader of the American revolution came, was Lawrence Washington, the mayor of the city of Northgampton, who, during the reformation, diligently helped Henry VIII to expand the monastery possessions.

For this he was granted the Sulgrerev estate, and his descendants enjoyed the grace and mercy of the English kings - both Tudors and the Stuarts, and therefore were distinguished by hot devotion to the throne of England. Colonel James Washington even paid with his life, fighting for King Charles I. Another colonel, Henry Washington, was famous for the same time by the heroic protection of the king of the city of Vorcerta, who was entrusted to him and gained the surprise and respect of even his revolutionaries.After the death of Charles I, when Cromwell began to mercilessly pursue the adherents of the king, they began to move to North America one by one, mainly to Virginia.

There, in the year, the impoverished great -grandchildren of Lawrence Washington moved. One of them, John, acquired a estate on the Bridge Crick River, a trim of Potomac, in the county of Westmoreland. Having married a rich girl, he became one of the largest planters of Virginia, and subsequently participating in a campaign against the Indians, rejlored great services to his new homeland.

The grandson of John, Augustine, the father of the famous fighter for America’s freedom, was born in the year. He received higher education in England, and after returning from there he took up agriculture in the lands inherited by him and little by little significantly expanded his possessions. Augustine Washington was married twice. From his first marriage, he had two sons - Lawrence and Augustine; From the second - with a beautiful, smart Mary Bolle - four sons and two daughters.

The eldest of them, George, born on February 22, in the father’s estate on the Bridge Crick River, made the name of Washington to the immortal. Shortly after George’s birth, his family moved to another estate located in Strafford County, near the city of Fredericksburg. The childhood and youth of George Washington passed here. He learned from reading, writing and zifiri at the school of the parish sextor Gobbi, who himself had very meager knowledge.

Fortunately, George had the opportunity to expand his knowledge in the family during and after the end of the “course of sciences” with Gobby. George's father, who was a very educated person for his time, loved to easily talk with his children on different topics, trying to develop them and grate their love of work and truth into their souls.

The eldest son from his first marriage, Lawrence, as he sent his heir to England to receive higher education; George had to be content with less. But George used all the benefits of healthy rural life in clean air and, a strong, healthy by nature, the boy physically developed as well as possible. It is wonderful that one of his favorite games was a game of soldiers with peers.

This was, however, quite naturally, if we take into account the atmosphere surrounding it. His brother Lawrence, returning from England, took part in the war between England and Spain. He had a chance to fight with the Spaniards more than once, and involuntarily acted on his younger brother with his military enthusiasm, preparing for the campaign. Yes, and all of Virginia at that time was covered by military fever, and the youth did not slow down also to become infected with it.

George arranged regiments from his school comrades, taught them to march and even set battles - this time as the commander in chief of the gobby school. At the end of the war, Lawrence Washington returned home, but he did not have to enter the military service, since in April the father suddenly died, and Lawrence became the head of the family. According to his father’s will, he received an estate on the banks of the Potomak River; The second son from his first marriage, Augustine, received a family estate in the West Porland, and George intended the estate where he grew up and where his father and his family spent his last years.

Soon after the death of his father, Lawrence, despite the difference of the years that loved George, married Miss Anna Ferfax and settled on his estate on the Potomak River, naming this Mount-Vernon estate in honor of Admiral Vernon, under the command of which he served in the fleet. The widow of Augustine Washington with the children remained to live in the estate located in the county of Stafford.

According to the testament of her husband, Mary Washington was appointed guardianship of her children and property intended for him. She, as it turned out, was quite worthy of such trust. It was a woman with a remarkable natural mind, healthy instincts and strong will. Despite her rude manners and a harsh look, it was distinguished by a simple and good heart. A lot of time took her different worries in the household; But she knew how to find free hours and devote them to the mental and moral education of her children.

Both with her conversations with them and the example of her life, she tried to inspire them with the consciousness of duty, respect for the human person and the ability to restrain the external manifestations of her temperament. George was very similar to the face and character of his mother; In childhood, he often found a quick-tempered and indomitable disposition, but all these roughnesses of his character were little by little smoothed under the rational influence of his mother.

She often read to her children outstanding out of books of religious and moral content, while touching all kinds of everyday life; George made a special impression “Reflections of the religious and moral character” of Heil; He had addiction to this book all his life and almost never parted with it. Mary Washington was not one of those mothers who score their sons in the generals.

She was alien to all vanity and did not at all dream that her son grabbed a star from the sky.First of all, she wanted George to be a good rural owner to replace his father to the younger brothers and sisters, and for his mother would be a support in old age. Some time after the death of her husband, she sent George to the estate of his brother Augustine to visit the nearby school of Williams, where George could acquire all the cognition necessary for the rural owner.

George visited this school for several years, studying mathematics, geometry and boundary art there. The school of Williams was taught either literature or foreign languages, and therefore Washington never knew any language except English. He was in English in English, but he was obliged to himself rather than school. By stubborn and long exercises, he learned to express himself briefly and clearly.

In his free watches, he rewrote the excerpts from the few books that came to his arm, or set out what was read in his own words; Its notebooks, preserved to the bottom, indicate diligence and perseverance, striking for a boy of his age. He carefully finished his syllable when he wrote the presentation - this can be judged by blots; He carefully copied calligraphic samples, and little by little developed a clear, beautiful handwriting and a beautiful syllable.

It is remarkable that since childhood he was extremely loved to rewrite business papers - will, contracts, bills, etc., obviously, he himself was quite seriously preparing for the role of a rural owner, trying to acquire all the practical knowledge necessary for this purpose. He was especially diligently studied by the “companion of the young man”, from where he learned information on how to keep himself in society, how to write letters and business documents, how to strik the lands, build houses, prepare ink and cider, breed trees, serve first aid in diseases, and so on.

George's notebooks indicate a complete absence of artistic talent - they all differ in a business tone reaching dryness. Needless to say, very many of the practical knowledge he acquired, came in handy subsequently. In the ability to draw up business papers, he could compete with any lawyer. In his free time, George Washington with enthusiasm indulged in physical exercises - running, jumping, competitions and other things, and mainly - riding.

Already at the age of 14, he easily traveled around the most unbridled horses and was considered an excellent rider. George’s physical development did not lag behind the mental, and this contributed to the fact that such a balanced person came out of him. Among his comrades, George enjoyed love, especially for his directness and truthfulness. Often, as an arbitration judge, he settled disagreements and disputes between schoolchildren - a role that later, being the head of the American Union, he had to perform more than once on a different scale.

George often spent the holidays and holidays at Mount Vernon, in the family of his brother Lawrence, who had a strong influence on him and completely replaced his father. Lawrence at that time was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Virginia and at the same time the military head of the district where his estate was located. Lawrence introduced George to his father -in -law family, Lord William Faerfax.

The Lord William himself, who lived on the Belvoire estate, was an educated and experienced man; He decided to spend his old age in Virginia, where he controlled the vast estates of his brother, Lord Thomas. The Ferfax family belonged to the exquisite English aristocracy, and in it young George received the final secular grinding. The question of behavior in society greatly occupied George, and he himself constituted with his tenderness the rules for his leadership.

Many of these rules have reached us, in truth, rather naive and curious. Next to the following: “With any action in society, you should take into account the feelings and views of those present,” you can find the following: “Being in society, do not sing under your breath, do not like your fingers and do not knock your feet”, or: “Do not sleep, when others say; Do not sit when others stand; Do not say when you should be silent ”and so on.

However, Washington made this code quite seriously and seriously implemented it. In Mount-Vernon, by the way, Washington’s military inclinations also awakened. Lawrence was devoted to military affairs with all his soul; In addition, the captains of the military English ships who were anchored in Potomak, as well as the provincial officers of Virginia, often gathered in his house; George has heard conversations on different military topics every now and then; Descriptions of battles, memories of wanderings by sea, about the fight against pirates - all this deeply acted on an impressionable, energetic boy, who involuntarily pulled to such a life, complete dangers and adventure.

At the age of 14, he announced his desire to enter the marine service, but met a strong resistance from his mother, who at the last minute took her original forced consent back, not daring to expose her first -born to the dangers associated with military life.There was nothing to do: George had to obey his mother and return to Williams' school. Since in this school, George acquired some information on land surveying, and since the work of the surveyor in Virginia was perfectly paid, George decided to take up this profession.

The borders of the Virgin estates at that time were not yet accurately established, there were few surveyors, and therefore it was a very practical plan. For two years, Washington studied the land artistic art in detail and seriously both theoretically and practically, persistently bringing to the end all his work. Washington’s calm business mood was violated at this time with a little misfortune: he fell in love, but without reciprocity.

This event is listed in his diary, which he led since the age of ten. The fifteen -year -old young man felt deeply unhappy, tried to pour out his grief in verses, which, however, did not find the slightest poetic talent; It can only be seen that he was very sensitive to female beauty. Who was the subject of his first delicate passion is unknown; He himself sees the main reason for his misfortune in the absence of courage and indecisibility to open "his longing, bleeding heart."