George Washington“Never did nature and fortune combine more

perfectly to make a great man.”~Thomas Jefferson talking about G.W.

Trivia About Our Nation’s First President:

• George’s first career was a surveyor.• His favorite subjects in school were reading, arithmetic,

geography, and astronomy.• He had a younger sister and three younger brothers as

well as two older half-brothers (Lawrence & Augustine).• He had reddish brown hair, blue eyes, and stood at six

feet three and a half inches tall. • He loved to hunt, fish, canoe, and ride horses.• He loved animals and had several pets including a

cockatoo. He raised hunting dogs. Two of his favorite dogs were named Vulcan and Sweet Lips. He loved horses and his favorite was Nelson who was with him during the Revolutionary War.

More Trivia… George was born in Virginia on Feb. 22nd, 1732. He fought in the French and Indian War. He was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. He was elected as President twice – both times unanimously. Charles Wilson Peale painted the the first portrait of Washington in

1772 at Mount Vernon. He went to the theatre every chance he could. He was the only president to lead troops into war. He never asked

his troops to do anything he would not do. He served on the frontlines.

He was a perfectionist and a control freak. He despised heavy drinking, smoking, and cursing.

Civic Responsibility

George believed in civic responsibility. He was a member of the Virginia House of

Burgesses, a trustee for the City of Alexandria, a magistrate for Fairfax

County, Virginia, and a Vestryman for both Pohick Church in Fairfax County and

Christ Church in Alexandria long before he became our first President!

Cherry Tree

The story of George chopping down his father’s cherry tree is a myth! The

story was invented by Mason Weems and was printed in the McGuffey

Reader. So many generations have read the story that it has become a

legend thought of as a fact.

George’s Teeth

George had false teeth, but they were not wooden! George’s dentist, Dr. John

Greenwood, used a cow’s tooth, hippopotamus ivory, metal, and springs to make his false teeth. They fit poorly and

always caused him discomfort. There are three sets of his teeth still in museums

today.

George and Slavery

George became a slave owner at the age of eleven when he inherited ten slaves upon the death of his father. As he grew older, his attitude towards slavery changed. He

freed his slaves in his will. George Washington is the only founding father to

free all of his slaves.

Native American Prophecy

There was a Native American prophecy that George Washington would not die in

battle. When George was in the French and Indian War, two horses were shot

from underneath him. A bullet went through his hat and several bullets went

through his jacket.

Mount Vernon

• Washington inherited the estate upon the death of Lawrence.

• It was G.W.’s home for forty-five years.• It consisted of 8,000 acres and five farms.• Wheat was his primary cash crop.• He developed a sophisticated seven year crop rotation to

make sure his fields remained productive.• He grew over sixty different crops.• He used the resources of the Potomac River to build a

fishery where one million fish were caught in one year. Fish was served in the mansion, sold for profit, and given as rations to the slaves.

• Mount Vernon is a twenty-one room mansion.

Wedding in 1759

He married Martha Dandridge Custis (wealthiest woman in Virginia). She was a widow who had four children. She lost two children before her marriage to George. Martha outlived all of her children and

George. George never had any biological children.

More Trivia

• George’s brother, Lawrence, named Mount Vernon after a Navy general.

• George served as President of the U.S. from 1789-1796. He was inaugurated at Federal Hall in NYC.

• Washington’s first cabinet was – John Adams (Vice-President), Thomas Jefferson (Secretary of State), Henry Knox (Secretary of War), and Alexander Hamilton (Secretary of Treasury)

Washington’s Death• On December 12th 1799, George rode around for several hours on

horseback in the freezing rain checking on the plantation. He ate supper without changing his wet clothes. The next morning, he woke up with a severe sore throat. He never recovered and passed away on Saturday, December 14th at 10pm.

• “Light Horse” Harry Lee stated…

FIRST IN WARFIRST IN PEACE

FIRST IN THE HEART OF HISCOUNTRYMEN

• He is buried at Mount Vernon beside Martha. Boxwood wreaths are hung daily at his burial site.

Ideas for the Classroom• Obtain the George Washington Porthole Portrait from the Mount Vernon Ladies

Association. Have students write letters to the superintendent, school board, city council, and others inviting them to a “dedication ceremony”. Students can research local officials (offices they hold, responsibilities, and contact information).

• Students can write a proclamation to be read during the ceremony which could coincide with President’s Day in February. Students can find examples of proclamations on the Library of Congress website as well as the National Archives (www.archives.gov) and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (www.gilderlehrman.org).

• Students can create a newspaper in the style of 18th century newspapers. Discuss the differences between communication now and the way news was reported two hundred years ago.

• Students can have an 18-century feast to honor George Washington. Students can research the foods, plan the menu, and seating chart. You can discuss “Rules of Civility” that relate to being at the dinner table.

• Create an online interactive poster on www.glogster.edu in teams of three to show different roles played by George Washington: father, general, president, farmer, etc.

Ideas for the Classroom• Gigantic Illustrated Timeline of Washington’s life. Each group of students will have a

specific section of his life (boyhood, surveying years, French and Indian War, etc.)• Create a Reader’s Theatre• Read Phillis Sings Out Freedom: The Story of George Washington and Phillis

Wheatley by Ann Malaspina and work on creating a poem about George Washington or focus on some aspect of history such as the Revolutionary War

• Read George Washington’s Breakfast by Jean Fritz and make hoecakes as a class (math/measuring) and discuss “Rules of Civility” related to eating

• Read The Mystery at Mount Vernon by Carole Marsh (use literature circle format in the classroom after each reading)

• Review the “Rules of Civility” list and assign a few to groups of three students so they can illustrate them.

• Math packet of ideas • Add a new four-line verse to Yankee Doodle • Explore 18th century music websites and brainstorm different kinds of music students

hear on a daily basis – What types of music at sporting events? Church? School?

Contact Information

Tracy Alley

talley@cinci.rr.com

If you would like the slideshow e-mailed or other specific resources or lessons, please

e-mail me.

Thank you for attending the session!