On December 14, 1799, the "father of America" George Washington - elected the first president of the United States and a leading figure in the creation of the country - died.
George Washington was born in 1732 in the British colony of Virginia. Washington spent his early years on a farm in Virginia and would soon acquire the skills of surveying the land that would prove very useful in his later military career. Washington's military service began in 1753 in Ohio. One of Washington's first orders was to drive the French out of the Ohio River Valley. Washington entered his first military engagement and made the grave mistake of allowing America's commander-in-chief to execute a betrayed French captain.
The laws of war stated that this action was a war crime, and this action would become the spark that started the French and Indian War. Throughout the war, Washington learned a great deal about military strategy from his British commanders, information that would eventually be used against them during the American Revolution.
Following the French and Indian War, Great Britain faced an insurmountable level of debt. To pay off this debt, Great Britain issued its infamous series of taxes against the colonists. Like many American colonists, Washington opposed British taxation and soon became a popular and vocal opponent of them. Washington was elected general and commander-in-chief of the colonial army. Washington was met with victories and defeats throughout the war, but his demeanor and natural leadership led to his rise to cult status.
Washington's military and political leadership to this point placed him in a position to be the first president of America. In 1789, George Washington was voted in as the first president of America along with Vice President John Adams. As president, Washington set numerous precedents, such as creating a cabinet, appointing Supreme Court justices, and establishing the first national bank.
Washington's presidency, as president, focused on maintaining peaceful relations with foreign nations while creating a strong and formidable central government. After his presidency, Washington retired to his home at Mount Vernon. In 1799, George Washington, the "Father of America," succumbed to an infection and died at the age of 67. Although Washington's life is over, his lasting legacy lives on and is seen by many as one of the greatest and most influential Americans in history,
Source: www.storyboardthat.com