The First President
George Washington by the late 1760s had experienced firsthand the effects of rising taxes imposed on American colonists by the British, and came to believe that it was in the best interests of the colonists to declare independence from England. George Washington (1732-99) was commander in chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). During the American Revolution, as the commander and chief of the continental army he led the colonial forces to victory over the British and became a national hero. In 1787, he was elected president of the convention that wrote the U.S. Constitution. Washington served two terms as the first U.S. president, from 1789 to 1797. The United States was a small nation when Washington took office, consisting of 11 states and approximately 4 million people, and there was no precedent for how the new president should conduct domestic or foreign business. Washington worked to set an example of fairness, prudence and integrity. In foreign matters, he supported cordial relations with other countries but also favored a position of neutrality in foreign conflicts. Domestically, he nominated the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Jay (1745-1829), signed a bill establishing the first national bank and set up his own presidential cabinet .Washington faced many economic problems that most Americans faced in the 1780s. The war had disrupted much of the American economy. On the high seas the British navy had great superiority and destroyed most American ships, crippling the flow of trade. On land, where both armies regularly stole from local farms in order to find food, farmers suffered tremendously. When the fighting came to an end in 1783, the economy was in a shambles. Exports to Britain were restricted. Further, British law prohibited trade with Britain's remaining sugar colonies in the Caribbean. Thus, two major sources of colonial-era commerce were eliminated. A flood of cheap British manufactured imports that sold cheaper than comparable American-made goods made the post-war economic slump worse. Finally, the high level of debt taken on by the states to fund the war effort added to the economic by helping to fuel rapid inflation. It took nearly twenty years before the economy started to turn around. The early leaders faced the unenviable task of trying to start a new country, rebuild after the war, establish a working government, make peace with the outsiders on the home front, re-establish trade and do it all with no money.
Works Cited
History.com Staff. "George Washington." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
"Social & Economic Effects." Social & Economic Effects. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
"The Economic Crisis of the 1780s." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2016.
About the Portrait
This portrait was painted by Charles Willson Peale. Peale was one figure who helped shape American self-perception by becoming the first artist to provide authentic images of George Washington as well as other revolutionary war heros. This painting of George Washington was Peales’ seventh, and last, life portrait of George Washington. This painting is currently located in the collection of the New York, New York Historical Society museum and library. George Washington is significant was the commander in chief of continental army during the revolutionary war and served two terms as the first U.S president, from 1789 to 1797. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Throughout the Revolutionary years Washington developed military leadership, administrative skills, and political sharpness. From 1775 to 1783 he functioned, in effect, as the chief executive of the United States. His wartime experiences gave him a sense of the importance of a unified position among the former colonies. His writings suggested that he favored a strong central government.Washington returned to his estates at Mount Vernon at the end of the Revolution. There was little time for relaxation, as he was kept constantly busy with farming, western land interests, and navigation of the Potomac River. Finally, Washington led the proceedings at the Federal Convention in 1787 that led to ratification, or confirmation, of the new American constitution.
Work Cited
"George Washington Biography." George Washington Biography - Life, Family, Childhood, Children, Story, Death, Mother, Young, Old, Information, Born. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Read more: http://www.notablebiographies.com/Tu-We/Washington-George.html#ixzz4SpT5R1Ph
George Washington by the late 1760s had experienced firsthand the effects of rising taxes imposed on American colonists by the British, and came to believe that it was in the best interests of the colonists to declare independence from England. George Washington (1732-99) was commander in chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). During the American Revolution, as the commander and chief of the continental army he led the colonial forces to victory over the British and became a national hero. In 1787, he was elected president of the convention that wrote the U.S. Constitution. Washington served two terms as the first U.S. president, from 1789 to 1797. The United States was a small nation when Washington took office, consisting of 11 states and approximately 4 million people, and there was no precedent for how the new president should conduct domestic or foreign business. Washington worked to set an example of fairness, prudence and integrity. In foreign matters, he supported cordial relations with other countries but also favored a position of neutrality in foreign conflicts. Domestically, he nominated the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Jay (1745-1829), signed a bill establishing the first national bank and set up his own presidential cabinet .Washington faced many economic problems that most Americans faced in the 1780s. The war had disrupted much of the American economy. On the high seas the British navy had great superiority and destroyed most American ships, crippling the flow of trade. On land, where both armies regularly stole from local farms in order to find food, farmers suffered tremendously. When the fighting came to an end in 1783, the economy was in a shambles. Exports to Britain were restricted. Further, British law prohibited trade with Britain's remaining sugar colonies in the Caribbean. Thus, two major sources of colonial-era commerce were eliminated. A flood of cheap British manufactured imports that sold cheaper than comparable American-made goods made the post-war economic slump worse. Finally, the high level of debt taken on by the states to fund the war effort added to the economic by helping to fuel rapid inflation. It took nearly twenty years before the economy started to turn around. The early leaders faced the unenviable task of trying to start a new country, rebuild after the war, establish a working government, make peace with the outsiders on the home front, re-establish trade and do it all with no money.
Works Cited
History.com Staff. "George Washington." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
"Social & Economic Effects." Social & Economic Effects. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
"The Economic Crisis of the 1780s." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2016.
About the Portrait
This portrait was painted by Charles Willson Peale. Peale was one figure who helped shape American self-perception by becoming the first artist to provide authentic images of George Washington as well as other revolutionary war heros. This painting of George Washington was Peales’ seventh, and last, life portrait of George Washington. This painting is currently located in the collection of the New York, New York Historical Society museum and library. George Washington is significant was the commander in chief of continental army during the revolutionary war and served two terms as the first U.S president, from 1789 to 1797. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Throughout the Revolutionary years Washington developed military leadership, administrative skills, and political sharpness. From 1775 to 1783 he functioned, in effect, as the chief executive of the United States. His wartime experiences gave him a sense of the importance of a unified position among the former colonies. His writings suggested that he favored a strong central government.Washington returned to his estates at Mount Vernon at the end of the Revolution. There was little time for relaxation, as he was kept constantly busy with farming, western land interests, and navigation of the Potomac River. Finally, Washington led the proceedings at the Federal Convention in 1787 that led to ratification, or confirmation, of the new American constitution.
Work Cited
"George Washington Biography." George Washington Biography - Life, Family, Childhood, Children, Story, Death, Mother, Young, Old, Information, Born. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
Read more: http://www.notablebiographies.com/Tu-We/Washington-George.html#ixzz4SpT5R1Ph