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George Washington
1789 - 1797
First President
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia
His father died when George was 11.
The tale of George cutting down the cherry tree was created by Parson Weems. It is not true.
George liked to explore caves.
When he was 20, he inherited Mount Vernon. That made him on of the largest land holders in Virginia.
George Washington married Martha Dandridge Curtis. He was 26 and she was 27. She was a widow and had two children.
Washington owned slaves. He freed his slaves in his will when he died.
He was about six feet two inches tall and weighed abut 175 pounds. Later in life his weight went up to about 200 pounds.
George Washington - Commander in Chief of Continental Army during the American Revolution.
"Washington Taking Control of the American Army, at Cambridge, Mass. July 1775." Copy of lithograph by Currier & Ives, 1876.
National Archives and Records Administration
(Click for larger image.)
He had no children of his own. He did adopt his wife's two children from a previous marriage.
President Washington was the only president who was unanimously elected. He ran unopposed for both terms.
George Washington's Vice President was John Adams (1789-1797).
Washington was the only president who didn't represent a political party.
George was the only President who was inaugurated in two cities, New York and Philadelphia.
President Georgre Washington did not live in the White House, the capital was in Philadelphia at that time.
President Washington was one of seven Presidents from Virginia.
George Washington had false teeth that were carved from, whale bone, rhinoceros ivory and deer antlers. Some sources I have read say they didn't contain any wood. He still had one tooth when he was elected President.
Washington was one of three Presidents who had adopted children.
Washington loved cream of peanut soup.
George loved horses. Before riding he insisted that the horse be cleaned from head to hoof. He even had his helpers brush the horses teeth.
He is considered to be one of Americas greatest Presidents.
While he was President, Vermont, Kentucky and Tennessee were admitted as states.
He had several dogs their names werre Sweet Lips, Taster, Tipler, Forester, Vulcan, Madame Moose, and Searcher.
George Washington was one of the richest men in America. Things named after him: 1 state, 7 mountains, 8 streams, 10 lakes, 33 counties, 9 colleges, and 121 towns and villages.
He liked to fish.
President Washington's second Inaugural Address was the shortest in history. It was only 135 words long.
His farewell address in 1796 was printed in the newspaper but was never delivered orally.
George Washington died of a throat infection on Dec. 14, 1799, some time after 10 p.m. at Mount Vernon, Virginia. He was 67.
Quotes:
"The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon." July 28, 1795
Sources:
The Presidents of the United States. 22 September 2004 <http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/>
Davis, Gibbs and Ilus. David A. Johnson. Wackiest White House Pets. New York: Scholastic Press, October 2004
James, Barber and Amy Pastan. Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies. New York: DK Publishing, 2002
Harnsberger, Caroline Thomas. Treasury of Presidential Quotations. Chicago: Follett Publishing Company, 1964
Kane, Joseph Natan. Facts about the Presidents from Washington to Johnson. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1964.
National Park Service Web Site on Presidential Trivia: http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/pres/trivia.htm.
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