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George Washington Dbq

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George Washington was the first President of the United States of America, and general of the revolutionary war. George was a Virginia planter, surveyor, and land speculator for 15 years, before he got into conventional armies. Despite having small practical experience in handling large, conventional armies, Washington proved to be a capable and resilient leader of the American military forces during the war. In July of 1775, George Washington accompanied Braddock on an expedition and served as an aide-de-camp. Braddock assigned Washington to several duties during the war which gained him recognition. Although Washington was only a volunteer, he saved Braddock’s army from extermination during the French and Indian War. Moreover, in 1775, …show more content…
On the march to the Valley Forge it is said that he spoke two very important sentences which were, “Congress Does Not Trust Me. I Cannot Continue This.” Due to the poor conditions over 2,000 men died without a single shot being fired. Moreover, on Christmas night, George Washington crossed the Delaware River with about 2,400 troops. Washington decided upon crossing the river in hopes of winning a victory after all the intense fighting. After the worst weather conditions the troops could ever possibly go through, they finally arrived at Trenton, New Jersey. It was there that Washington secured the Continental Army's first major military victory of the war. At the set of dawn the soldiers surprised the garrison of 1,500 Hessians, which are German mercenaries hired by the British. Without the determination, resiliency, and leadership exhibited by Washington while crossing the Delaware River the victory at Trenton would not have been possible. While he lost more battles than wins, George Washington demonstrated a winning strategy that included signal victories at the battle of Trenton in 1776 and Yorktown in 1781. Washington’s greatest wartime legacy was his decision to surrender his commission to Congress, affirming the principle of civilian control of the military in the new United States. George Washington’s significance during this period was what created his recognition.

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