The Life & Times of George Washington

October 28, 2023 12:20pm

We see him on the one dollar bill. He's on the 25 cent coin. Our nation's capitol is named for him. He is the father of our country. He was a farmer, a distiller, a surveyor, an author, and an entrepreneur. As a young man, he served with the British Army during the French & Indian Wars. Although once loyal to the King, when the colonies declared independence from The Crown, he lead the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War. Despite his attempt to retire after the Treaty of Paris ended that war, he again answered his country's call to preside over the Constitutional Convention. He was later unanimously elected to be the first President of the United States. Twice.

But George Washington is so much more than that. The significance of Washington's contribution to the Revolutionary War and to the establishment of this nation cannot be overstated, and the details of his accomplishments are worth knowing. So I sat down with Jeremy Ray, the Director of History Interpretation at Mount Vernon, to discuss the life and times of the man who was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

Our conversation aired on my radio show in a two-part documentary. In last week's episode, we discussed Washington's life from birth through the end of the Revolutionary War. Today, we covered his life from his presidency through his death in 1799. Both episodes are now archived online as podcasts. Part 1 is at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231021. Part 2 is at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231028.