Timeline of George Washington’s Life
Name: ___________________
February 22, 1732
George Washington was born in
Westmoreland County, VA. His parents
were Augustine and Mary Ball
Washington.
1746
George Washington’s formal education
came to an end. He was good at math
(specifically geometry), which benefited
him throughout his life. He began
practicing surveying land.
1748
Washington began his career as a
surveyor, accompanying George William
Fairfax and James Genn, both surveyors
who helped him learn the trade.
1749 – 1752
George Washington worked as the official
surveyor of Culpeper County
November 15, 1753
At the age of 21, George Washington was
a major for the colony of Virginia. He was
given an important mission that stretched
from Will's Creek and along the Mississippi
River up to the Ohio River. He traveled
untamed wilderness, made friends with
hostile American Indians, and delivered a
message to the French who were
encroaching on the Virginia Colony. This
successful mission was the beginning of a
long and successful military career.
1754
1756-1758
George Washington received the Mt.
Vernon estate from his brother's widow.
Washington continued to fight the French
and American Indians, who were trying to
take over colonial land. George
Washington was Commander-in-Chief of
all troops raised to fight for land in the
© Kelly Wilson, 2010
Primary Source Information from The Life of George Washington by David Ramsay
Teaching Resource Center, www.trcabc.com
Timeline of George Washington’s Life
Name: ___________________
Virginia Colony. Their efforts were
successful, and he then resigned his
commission.
January 6, 1759
Washington married Mrs. Martha
Dandridge Custis, a widow with two
children that he adopted. Washington
never had children of his own.
1763
Great Britain began taxing the Colonies
without affording them representation in
the British Assembly. The Colonists decide
to unite and fight Great Britain’s rule.
1774
The First Continental Congress met in
Philadelphia, with George Washington as
a representative in charge of the Defense
of the Colonies.
May 1775
1776-1783
1783
At the Second Continental Congress,
Washington was named Commander-inChief of the Continental Army
George Washington headed up an army of
thousands of troops to fight the British
during the War of Independence. In this
post, George Washington dealt with
starvation and loss of his troops, lack of
supplies (including clothing), lack of
support from Congress, mutiny, and
fighting among the Colonies.
George Washington retired to his farm, Mt.
Vernon. He became a dedicated and
diligent farmer, constantly working to find
better ways to make use of the land.
During his time of retirement, he provided
his opinions for how the Colonial
government should be transitioned into a
national government. A convention was
© Kelly Wilson, 2010
Primary Source Information from The Life of George Washington by David Ramsay
Teaching Resource Center, www.trcabc.com
Timeline of George Washington’s Life
Name: ___________________
proposed to overhaul the government, and
those who knew him begged George
Washington to participate as a delegate.
May 1787
The Constitutional Convention met and
promptly elected George Washington as
their President. Many people urged him to
accept the office of President.
April 14, 1789
George Washington was announced the
First President of the United States, having
been unanimously voted in.
April 30, 1789
Washington took the Oath of Office as
First President of the United States. He
had a lot of work to do - the United States
was a mess with in-fighting, no money,
open seats in Congress, and a small army.
1797
George Washington happily retired from
the Presidency, having accomplished the
reduction of the country's debt, a firmly
established government, and happy
citizens. He returned to farming at Mt.
Vernon.
December 13th and 14th, 1799
George Washington became ill and died
within 24 hours, peacefully in his own bed.
December 18th, 1799
Washington’s body was placed in the
family vault at Mt. Vernon while the
country mourned.
© Kelly Wilson, 2010
Primary Source Information from The Life of George Washington by David Ramsay
Teaching Resource Center, www.trcabc.com