George Washington

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George Washington

The defining moments of George Washington's life

George Washington

George Washington: map

The Farmer, George Washington

George Washington: sketch map

George Washington: wedding to Martha Dandridge Custis

Learn about George Washington's hobbies before becoming the first president of the United States of America

George Washington: Mount Vernon map

For Students

Gilbert Stuart: portrait of George Washington

George Washington summary

Mount Vernon

George Washington Timeline

French and Indian War

George Washington’s Achievements

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Parsons Weems' Fable, oil on canvas by Grant Wood, 1939; in the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Catalog entry: The historian Mason Locke Weems, commonly known by his clerical title, Parson Weems, pulls back a curtain to point at 6-year-old George Washington. Bearing an adult head and holding an axe, George gazes blankly up at his father, Augustine, who questions his son while holding a partially cut cherry tree. All of this takes place in front of a 20th-century brick building, which Wood modeled after his own home in Iowa. The scene illustrates the fable of Washington and the cherry tree, which Weems invented in 1806 for the first president's biography. Wood playfully suggests the artifice of the tale here, presenting the story in the manner of a costumed stage play rather than a real event. Amid the action, two Black figures pick cherries in the background, a reference to Washington' slaveholding past and a reminder of of what often gets left out in historical mythmaking.

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George Washington: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

George has his day, and so does Abe. But states honor US presidents in lots of ways • Feb. 16, 2025, 12:07 AM ET (AP)

How Presidents Day has evolved from reverence to retail • Feb. 16, 2025, 12:03 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Father of His Country
Born	February 22, 1732 • Virginia • (Birthday tomorrow)
Died	December 14, 1799 (aged 67) • Mount Vernon • Virginia
Title / Office	presidency of the United States of America (1789-1797), United States • Continental Congress (1774-1775), United States
Political Affiliation	Federalist Party
Awards And Honors	Hall of Fame (1900)
Notable Family Members	spouse Martha Washington
Role In	American Revolution • Battle of Brandywine • Battle of Germantown • Battle of Jumonville Glen • Battle of Long Island • Battle of Monmouth • Battles of Trenton and Princeton • Citizen Genêt Affair • Constitutional Convention • French and Indian War • Jay Treaty • Siege of Boston • Siege of Yorktown • Battle of Fort Necessity

Did You Know?

George Washington is one of only two presidents whose face appears on a U.S. bill and coin.

Photos and Videos

George Washington

George Washington

George Washington: map

The Farmer, George Washington

George Washington: sketch map

George Washington: wedding to Martha Dandridge Custis

George Washington: Mount Vernon map

Martha Washington and George Washington and their children

George Washington: painting

The defining moments of George Washington's life

Learn about George Washington's hobbies before becoming the first president of the United States of America

The video thumbnail image shows a historical painting of George Washington and Revolutionary troops in the winter.

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Parsons Weems' Fable, oil on canvas by Grant Wood, 1939; in the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Catalog entry: The historian Mason Locke Weems, commonly known by his clerical title, Parson Weems, pulls back a curtain to point at 6-year-old George Washington. Bearing an adult head and holding an axe, George gazes blankly up at his father, Augustine, who questions his son while holding a partially cut cherry tree. All of this takes place in front of a 20th-century brick building, which Wood modeled after his own home in Iowa. The scene illustrates the fable of Washington and the cherry tree, which Weems invented in 1806 for the first president's biography. Wood playfully suggests the artifice of the tale here, presenting the story in the manner of a costumed stage play rather than a real event. Amid the action, two Black figures pick cherries in the background, a reference to Washington' slaveholding past and a reminder of of what often gets left out in historical mythmaking.

Did George Washington Really Say, “I Can’t Tell a Lie”?