George Washington

Washington, George (1732-99), 1st President of the U.S. (1789-97), was born on the family estate in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His education was elementary, and after his father's death (1743) he was guided mainly by his half-brother Lawrence, who obtained him a position as surveyor. His first military experience (1753) was in the Ohio country against the French and Indians, and is recorded in his report The Journal of Major George Washington (1754). His next service was to build Fort Necessity at Great Meadows, near the present site of Pittsburgh, where he defeated the French of Fort Duquesne (May ...