American Presidents






George Washington: Life Portrait

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from 03/15/99


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    • LIFE FACTS

    Personal

    First Lady: Martha Washington, Wife

    Number of Children: 2

    Education Level: No College


    Religion: Episcopalian

    Profession:
    Military, Surveyor, Planter

    Public Service

    Dates of Presidency: 4/30/1789 - 3/3/1797

    Presidency Number: 1

    Number of Terms: 2

    Why Presidency Ended: End of 2nd Term

    His Vice President(s): John Adams

    Colonial Government: House of Burgesses (1758-1774), Continental Congress (1774-1775)

    Other Offices: President of Constitutional Convention


    Did You Know?

    • George Washington was the only president to be elected unanimously.
    • He was the only president inaugurated in two cities: New York and Philadelphia.
    • He never lived in DC, although he was interested in the construction of the city and bought property in DC.
    • He was an active and able mediator between his cabinet members Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson.
    • In 1794, based largely on Alexander Hamilton's advice, Washington summoned the U.S. militia to suppress the Whiskey Insurrection which erupted after Congress imposed taxes on distillers. Concialitory resolutions were agreed to and force was not employed.
    • After her husband's death, Martha Washington burned all letters to retain privacy.
    • At the time Washington was elected, there were 7 states and the population was almost 4 million.
    • "As the sword was the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first to be laid aside when those liberties are firmly established."

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    George Washington: Life Portrait Video Clip List

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    George Washington Program
    Video Clip List - Part 1 of 2
    Clip # Start Time End Time Description
    1 1:50 3:19 Historian Richard Norton Smith discusses George Washington's public image as an icon; his fondness for children
    Watch Clip 1
    2 3:38 5:51 Description of the architecture of Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home
    Watch Clip 2
    3 6:24 7:59 George Washington's physical appearance
    4 8:00 8:26 Washington's marriage to widow Martha Custis who had four children
    5 8:27 8:47 Washington's birth place in Westmoreland County, VA
    6 9:25 12:45 Washington's own writings
    Watch Clip 6
    7 12:56 16:04 George Washington's views on slavery
    8 16:16 17:09 A look at Mt. Vernon
    9 17:10 17:43 George Washington's view on slavery
    Watch Clip 9
    10 17:44 18:08 Mt. Vernon
    11 18:11 20:03 Discusses story about 4 bullet holes in George Washington's coat
    12 22:08 22:39 Popes creek - George Washington's birth place and other places to tour in Virginia
    13 23:51 25:40 George Washington's study inside of his house
    14 25:50 29:14 George Washington's personal and financial sacrifices
    15 29:15 30:42 Places where George Washington has lived
    16 30:43 30:57 George Washington's inagurations
    17 30:58 33:14 The relationship between George Washington and John Adams
    18 33:15 34:04 George Washington's sense of humor
    Watch Clip 18
    18a 34:10 39:06 George Washington's relationship with slaves; discussion with descendant of a Mt. Vernon slave
    Watch Clip 18
    19 39:10 41:13 The relationship of George Washington and Thomas Payne
    20 44:18 44:55 Video of slaves' cemetery at Mt. Vernon
    Watch Clip 20
    21 44:57 46:02 A look at George Washington's government career
    Watch Clip 21
    22 47:05 48:48 Biases in history research
    23 50:37 52:37 Did he really chop down the cherry tree?
    24 52:37 53:27 Ferry Farms - George Washington's boyhood home
    25 53:28 54:44 Discussion of the house and estate at Mt. Vernon
    26 55:22 56:59 George Washington's ties with the Fairfax family, including his relationship with and Sally Fairfax
    27 57:00 59:15 A tour of George Washington's home at Mt. Vernon; a look at his bedroom, where he died; a discussion of medicine at the time
    28 59:15 1:01:53 The last days of George Washington's life
    29 58:30 59:15 George Washington's bed
    30 1:05:15 1:06:06 George Washington's religious faith
    31 1:06:06 1:06:56 George Washington's funeral service; Martha Washington's reaction after her husband's death
    32 1:06:57 1:08:38 George Washington's family
    33 1:08:39 1:08:54 Paintings in George Washington's home
    34 1:08:55 1:09:49 Mt. Vernon's Ladies Association purchased Mt. Vernon in 1858
    35 1:09:50 1:10:42 George Washington and his relationship with his slaves
    Thomas Jefferson Program
    Video Clip List - Part 2 of 2
    1 00:07 01:30 Washington as an experimental farmer
    Watch Clip 1
    2 01:35 02:07 Washington as a businessman
    3 02:10 02:45 Story about appointment to the Mount Vernon ladies Association
    4 02:50 04:55 Washington's expense account
    5 05:30 06:40 Explanation of Fraunces Tavern museum
    6 07:14 08:07 Relationship that Washington established with other countries
    7 08:09 08:55 Importance of religion to Washington
    8 08:57 10:35 Mt. Vernon, a historic place
    9 10:44 12:35 Phenomenon of rush to re-write history of America
    10 13:53 15:50 Pennsylvania as a second home to Washington
    11 16:27 17:35 Federal Hall, a national historic site
    12 19:00 20:00 Statue of Washington
    13 20:28 22:40 Historic sites in Fredericksburg area
    14 22:41 29:14 Members of Washington's cabinet
    15 29:15 30:42 History of President election
    16 24:35 25:18 Discussion of royal gift received from king of Spain
    17 27:05 33:14 Washington's closest friends
    18 29:34 30:00 Washington's punctuality
    19 30:33 31:50 Washington, a hospitable host
    20 33:55 35:06 Relationship between Washington and Jefferson
    21 35:05 35:47 President who has take inspiration from Washington
    22 36:22 37:55 Sources to learn about George Washington
    23 39:15 41:15 Tour of the top level of Washington's masion
    24 42:05 44:10 Ancestry of Washington
    25 45:46 46:53 Relationship between Washington and his mother
    26 46:54 47:29 Relationship between Washington and Patrick Henry
    27 50:00 50:46 What happened in the Independence Hall
    28 53:15 58:46 Discussion of Mt. Vernon as a slave plantation
    29 58:50 1:00:08 Resource about genealogy of Washington
    30 1:05:04 1:06:42 Discussion on frequent transference of the Capital
    31 1:06:06 1:06:56 Relationship between Washington and Native Indians
    32 1:10:15 1:10:55 Miscellaneous facts about Washington
    33 1:10:56 1:11:50 250th anniversary celecrated in Culpeper, Viginia

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