No one deserves title ‘the father of the United States of America’ more than George Washington, a highly-respected hero of the American Revolution and one of the founders of the nation.
George Washington was one among the leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies and led the war for independence from Great Britain. He was also instrumental in building the framework of the government for the new United States of America upon republican principles, during the latter decades of the 18th century. He set enduring precedents for the office of president, including the title “Mr. President”.
Born in a planter family in Virginia in 1732, George Washington was raised to become a well-mannered Virginian gentleman with all the moral values of the time. He even served with the British army during the French and Indian Wars.
By 1775, the colonies were upset with the British as they had to pay huge amounts of taxes. George Washington was present at the Continental Congresses when leaders came together to discuss what could be done.
A colonial army was formed to fight the British as a result of the Continental Congresses of 1774, 1775 and 1776. George Washington was asked to take the command of the army. He took command on July 3, 1775 and the war lasted for six long years at the end of which he forced the British to surrender in Yorktown, with some help from the French allies.
In 1783, the British gave up their control over the colonies and America became a free country. Five years later, the new Constitution was approved. When the time came to elect a president to the newly formed nation – the United States of America, Washington was the man everybody trusted. George Washington served as the president for two terms from 1789 to 1797.
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