George Washington was the commander in chief of the Continental army during the American Revolution, and later the first president of the United States. He symbolized qualities of discipline, nobleness, military orthodoxy, and persistence in hard times that his contemporaries particularly valued as marks of complete political leadership. Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia, the eldest son of Augustine Washington, a Virginia planter, and Mary Ball Washington. Although Washington had little or …showed first 75 words of 2206 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2206 total…te by the House to carry out the treaty. Conscious of the value of his constructive role in shaping the presidency and certainly stung by the abusive language hurled at advocates of the Jay Treaty, Washington carefully prepared a farewell address to mark the end of his presidency, calling on the U.S. to avoid both confusion alliances and party rancor. After leaving office in 1797, Washington retired to Mount Vernon, where he died on December 14, 1799.