George Washington (February 22, 1732 [O.S. February 11, 1731]– December 14, 1799) served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and as the commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Because of his significant role in the revolution and in the formation of the United States, he is often referred to as the "Father of His Country".
The Continental Congress appointed Washington commander-in-chief of the American revolutionary forces in 1775. The following year, he forced the British out of Boston, lost New York City, and crossed the Delaware River in New Jersey, defeating the surprised enemy units later that year. Because of his strategy, Revolutionary forces captured the two main British combat armies at Saratoga and Yorktown. Negotiating with Congress, the colonial states, and French allies, he held together a tenuous army and a fragile nation amid the threats of disintegration and failure. Following the end of the war in 1783, Washington returned to private life and retired to his plantation at Mount Vernon.
He presided over the Philadelphia Convention that drafted the Constitution. Washington became President of the United States in 1789 and established many of the customs and usages of the new government's executive department. He sought to create a nation capable of surviving in a world torn asunder by war between Great Britain and France. Although never officially joining the Federalist Party, he supported its programs and was its inspirational leader while in office.
Washington died in 1799. Henry Lee, delivering the funeral oration, declared Washington "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen". Historical scholars consistently rank him as one of the greatest presidents of the United States.
Alternate versions of Washington have been discovered in the multiverse:
- Emperor George I, Emperor of North America (Emperor George I)
- George Washington, first president of the United States (3-Year Term)
- George Washington, first president of the United States (British Louisiana)
- George Washington, first president of the United States (No Term Limits)
- George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army (USA Kingdom)
- King George I, first King of the Washington House of America (Washington Dynasty)
- George Washington, first president of the United States (You Are Here)
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