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The War That Made George Washington: It’s Not The War You Think It Is

The War That Made George Washington: It’s Not The War You Think It Is. By: Kenneth A. Gavin American Institute for History Education The John Fenwick Liberty Fellowship Pennsville (NJ) Schools November 15, 2008. Who is George Washington?. How Would you Describe him?.

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The War That Made George Washington: It’s Not The War You Think It Is

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  1. The War That Made George Washington: It’s Not The War You Think It Is By: Kenneth A. GavinAmerican Institute for History Education The John Fenwick Liberty Fellowship Pennsville (NJ) Schools November 15, 2008

  2. Who is George Washington? How Would you Describe him? George Washington By Horatio Greenborough Circa 1840

  3. Why is George Washington So Important? • Leader of Victorious American Forces During the Revolution • First Elected President of the United States of America • Universally Recognized as the Father of Our Country Lithograph of Gen. Washington After a Painting by Charles Willson Peale Portrait of President Washington by Gilbert Stuart

  4. What Lies Beneath? How is the Story Developed? Myth and Memory: Creations or Reflections of The Human Mind

  5. Who is Responsible for the Image? • An Episcopal Minister in Maryland and Virginia • Friend of Washington Family • Takes on Second Career as Author and Musician to Supplement Income • Most Famous Work is Life of Washington Published in 1800 • Contains Famous Stories of Washington and the Cherry Tree and Washington in Prayer at Valley Forge Parson Mason Locke Weems (1756-1825)

  6. The Result of Weems’ Work The Apotheosis of George Washington in the United States Capitol Building

  7. Who is the Real George Washington? • Real Person With Real Challenges and Hardships • Not Universally Praised in His Lifetime • Experiences More Military Failure than Success • Neither a Brilliant Tactician Nor a Military Genius • Must Constantly Deal With the Misgivings of Others and Often Struggles to Maintain Power • Greatest Contributions Lie in Leadership Capabilities, Fidelity to Ideals, Ability to Inspire Others, and Political Savvy George Washington by John Trumbull

  8. Early Influences in the Life of Washington: His Parents • The Washingtons in America Are Typical of the Colonials on the make • Father Augustine Washington Dies in 1743; Mother Never Remarries • Increased Responsibilities at an Early Age • Inherits a Desire for Land and Success Through Labor Mary Ball Washington (1708-1789), Mother of George Washington

  9. Early Influences in the Life of Washington: His Half-Brother, lawrence • Becomes a Surrogate Father Figure to a Young Washington • Serves as an Officer During the War of the Spanish Succession • Epitome of the English Gentleman in the Colonies • George’s Entrée to Politics and the Upper Crust of Virginia Society • Builds Mount Vernon, Which is Bequeathed to George in 1752 Lawrence Washington (1718-1752), Half Brother of George Washington

  10. Early Influences in the Life of Washington: The Love Quadrangle Martha Dandridge Custis George Washington Sally Cary George William Fairfax

  11. The End Result • George and martha Are Married on January 6, 1759 • The Couple Remains Fast Friends With the Fairfaxes • Will and Sally Move to England in 1773 Never to Return • Allusions to the Romance That Never was Linger on The Wedding of George Washington and martha Dandridge Custis, A 19th Century Depiction

  12. Early Influences in the Life of Washington: Governor Robert Dinwiddie • Aggressive in Defending Land Claims • Often Seen as Helping to Precipitate the French and Indian War • Responsible for Commissioning Washington as an Officer in the Virginia Regiment, the Beginning of his Long military Career • Puts Great Trust in a Very Young Washington to Carry out Complex Diplomatic Missions with the French and Their Indian Allies Robert Dinwiddie (1693-1770), Governor of Virginia (1751-1758)

  13. Washington’s First Command: The Expedition to Fort Le Bouef • Washington Departs Williamsburg in Late 1753 With an Eight Man party to Deliver a Warning to the French • They Will Travel Hundreds of Miles Through the Wilderness to the Proximity of Modern Erie, Pennsylvania • The French Disregard the Warning and Politely and Firmly Send Washington Back to Virginia • Washington’s Report Creates a Stir in Virginia and England Artist’s Rendering of the French Outpost, Fort Le Bouef (1896)

  14. Washington’s First Battle: The Bower (Jumonville Glen) • Washington is Sent to the Forks of the Ohio in Spring 1754 to Reinforce a Small Party Building a Fort There • Washington’s Force of 350 Begins to Build a Secondary Fortification at the Great Meadows • Washington Takes a Scouting Party of 50 Soldiers and Indians Searching for the French • They Surprise and Defeat a Force of 34 Frenchmen Washington Rock at Jumonville Glen As it appeared in 2007

  15. Washington’s First Battle: The Bower (Jumonville Glen) • The Leader of Washington’s Indian Allies is Tanagrisshon • The Half-King Kills the Leader of the French Party, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Villiers de Jumonville, a Diplomatic Envoy, After he has Surrendered • Washington is Responsible For This Action • The Skirmish Alone Would not Have Triggered a Larger Conflict, Jumonville’s Death was Another Matter Washington Rock at Jumonville Glen As it appeared in 2007

  16. Washington’s First Battle: Impact on the World “The Volley Fired by a Young Virginian in the Backwoods of America has Set the World on Fire.” -Horace Walpole English Writer and Political Commentator, Horace Walpole (1713-1784), as he Appeared Circa 1759

  17. French Revenge and a Stinging Defeat: Fort Necessity • Word of the Death of Jumonville Reaches the Main French Outpost at Fort Duquesne • A party of 600 French, Canadian, and Indians Under Capt. Louis Coulon de Villiers on June 28, 1754 • They Attack Washington’s force on July 3rd • The Ensuing Battle Lasts all Day in Horrendous Conditions • Washington has no Choice but to Surrender; the Surrender Document Contains a Confession to the Murder of Ensign Jumonville • Washington Retreats to Virginia in Disgust Artist’s Rendition of Washington Leading the Virginia Regiment at Fort Necessity

  18. The Crown’s Response: General Edward Braddock • Veteran British Military Man • Brings Two Regiments to America with Plan to Supplement his Force with Provincial Recruits • Ambitious Four Pronged Plan to Crush the French in North America • Seeks Out Washington to Serve as His Aide-de-Camp • Washington Idolizes Him and Sees Him as the Epitome of the English Officer and Gentleman Gen. Edward Braddock (1695-1755)

  19. Braddock’s Goal: Fort Duquesne French Watercolor Detailing Fort Duquesne in 1754

  20. Braddock’s Goal: Fort Duquesne Diorama Showing the Probable Appearance of Fort Duquesne in 1754

  21. Braddock’s Plan: The Cumberland Road Modern Map Showing the Path of the Cumberland Road During the Braddock Expedition

  22. Unimaginable Disaster on the Banks of the Monongahela: Braddock Defeated • Braddock’s Column Crosses the Monongahela River on July 9, 1755 • Lead Elements of the Column are Immediately Attacked • British Troops are Caught in a Ravine and Panic Quickly Ensues • Casualties are Extremely High and Braddock is Mortally Wounded While Rallying his Men • Survivors Stagger Away in Retreat and Disbelief • Washington is Instrumental in Covering the Retreat and Saving the Remnants of Braddock’s Force Braddock’s Mortal Wounding on the Banks of the Monongahela River

  23. A New Commander in America and a New Challenge for Washington • Braddock’s Replacement in America is Sir John Campbell, Fourth Earl of Loudon, Who Arrives in 1756 • Widely Disliked in the Colonies for his Scoffing Attitude Toward Provincials; Something Washington Will Experience Firsthand • Never Launches his Planned Assault on the Canadian Stronghold of Louisburg • Recalled in 1757 by the British Ministry Much to the Relief of the Colonies Gen. John Campbell (1705-1782), Fourth Earl of Loudon

  24. The Forbes Expedition and the End of the War for Washington • Forbes Arrives in America in Early 1758 and sets his Headquarters in Philadelphia and Establishes an Army of 7,000 • Like Others Before him he is Charged With Taking the French Stronghold at Fort Duquesne • Unlike Others, he Understands the Value of Provincials and Native Allies and Know how to Work With them Effectively • He Calls on Washington to Play a Major Part in the Campaign • Duquesne Falls Without a Shot Being Fired and Washington Retires from the Military at the Conclusion of the Expedition Gen. John Forbes (1707-1759)

  25. An Epilogue and a Prologue: Lessons Learned and Lessons Applied

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