1st President of the United States In office April 30, 1789[a] – March 4, 1797 Vice President John Adams Preceded by Inaugural holder Succeeded by John Adams Senior Officer of the Army In office July 13, 1798 – December 14, 1799 Appointed by John Adams Preceded by James Wilkinson Succeeded by Alexander Hamilton Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army In office June 15, 1775 – December 23, 1783 Appointed by Continental Congress Preceded by Inaugural holder Succeeded by Henry Knox (Senior Officer of the Army) Delegate to the Second Continental Congress from Virginia In office May 10, 1775 – June 15, 1775 Preceded by Inaugural holder Succeeded by Thomas Jefferson Delegate to the First Continental Congress from Virginia In office September 5, 1774 – October 26, 1774 Preceded by Inaugural holder Succeeded by Position abolished Personal details Born: February 22, 1732 Bridges Creek, Westmoreland County, Virginia, British America Died: December 14, 1799 (aged 67) Mount Vernon, Virginia, U.S. Resting place: Washington Family Tomb, Mount Vernon, Virginia Political party None Spouse(s): Martha Dandridge (m. 1759) Awards: Congressional Gold Medal Thanks of Congress Military service Allegiance  Great Britain  United States Service/branch Colonial Militia Continental Army United States Army Years of service 1752–58 (British Militia) 1775–83 (Continental Army) 1798–99 (U.S. Army) Rank Colonel (Great Britain) Lieutenant General (United States) General of the Armies (promoted posthumously: 1976, by an Act of Congress) George Washington (February 22, 1732 [O.S. February 11, 1731][b][c] – December 14, 1799) was the first, and only nonpartisan, President of the United States (1789–97), the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He presided over the convention that drafted the United States Constitution and was called the "father of his country" during his lifetime. Washington was widely admired for his strong leadership qualities and was unanimously elected president by the Electoral College in the first two national elections. He oversaw the creation of a strong, well-financed national government that maintained neutrality in the French Revolutionary Wars, suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion, and won acceptance among Americans of all types. Washington's incumbency established many precedents still in use today, such as the cabinet system, the inaugural address, and the title Mr. President. His retirement from office after two terms established a tradition that lasted until 1940, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term. The 22nd Amendment (1951) now limits the president to two elected terms. He was born into the provincial gentry of Colonial Virginia to a family of wealthy planters who owned tobacco plantations and slaves, which he inherited. In his youth, he became a senior officer in the colonial militia during the first stages of the French and Indian War. In 1775, the Second Continental Congress commissioned Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolution. In that command, Washington forced the British out of Boston in 1776, but was defeated and nearly captured later that year when he lost New York City. After crossing the Delaware River in the middle of winter, he defeated the British in two battles (Trenton and Princeton), retook New Jersey, and restored momentum to the Patriot cause. His strategy enabled Continental forces to capture two major British armies at Saratoga in 1777 and Yorktown in 1781. Historians laud Washington for the selection and supervision of his generals; preservation and command of the army; coordination with the Congress, state governors, and their militia; and attention to supplies, logistics, and training. In battle, however, Washington was repeatedly outmaneuvered by British generals with larger armies. After victory had been finalized in 1783, Washington resigned as commander-in-chief rather than seize power, proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism. Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which devised a new form of federal government for the United States. Following his election as president in 1789, he worked to unify rival factions in the fledgling nation. He supported Alexander Hamilton's programs to satisfy all debts, federal and state, established a permanent seat of government, implemented an effective tax system, and created a national bank. In avoiding war with Great Britain, he guaranteed a decade of peace and profitable trade by securing the Jay Treaty in 1795, despite intense opposition from the Jeffersonians. He remained non-partisan, never joining the Federalist Party, although he largely supported its policies. Washington's Farewell Address was an influential primer on civic virtue, warning against partisanship, sectionalism, and involvement in foreign wars. He retired from the presidency in 1797, returning to his home and plantation at Mount Vernon. Upon his death, Washington was eulogized as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen" by Henry Lee. He was revered in life and in death; scholarly and public polling consistently ranks him among the top three presidents in American history. He has been depicted and remembered in monuments, currency, and other dedications to the present day.