Colonists Revolt Against England's Oppressive Taxation

George Washington

(1732-1799)

Forget the wooden teeth and the cherry tree—they're both myths. But George Washington did have false teeth (several sets, of ivory and cow's teeth) and telling lies wasn't his style. George’s father, a Virginia planter, died when George was a boy. As a teenager, George worked as a surveyor, then inherited his brother's estate, Mount Vernon. At 19, he was an officer in Virginia's militia. He fought side-by-side with the British in the French and Indian War, then came home to marry Martha Custis, a widow with two children. His hopes for a quiet life changed when he went to Philadelphia as a Continental Congress delegate and was elected commander of the new army.

Washington was tall (6'4”—at that time, a giant) and fair skinned. His face was marked with smallpox scars. He was athletic, loved to ride horses and hunt, and had spent years roughing it in the western wilds. According to Thomas Jefferson, he was the best dancer in Virginia. He was also shy, serious, generous, and brave, and worked hard to control his hot temper. As a young man, Washington was determined to improve himself through reading and study. He copied down “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior” and followed them unfailingly. (The rules ranged from sensible to silly, from “respect your elders,” “listen when others speak,” and “don't point or roll your eyes,” to “cleanse not your teeth with the tablecloth, but if others do so let it be done without a peep to them.”). His soldiers adored him and so did the American people. When the war was over, they elected him as their first president.

the British ships, and army musicians tried to inspire the troops with fife and drum music. The townspeople of Boston gathered in every high place, from church steeples and rooftops to the masts of ships in the wharves, to watch the fight.


	he heard his name, blushed and left the room. A unanimous vote made Washington commander in chief of the American army. June 17, 1775: The Battle of Bunker Hill By the time Washington reached his army, they had already been in battle. Inside Boston, British General Gage had welcomed reinforcements and the three new generals from England. The Americans outside the town heard that the British planned to seize the high ground around their camp and destroy them. They decided to make their move before the redcoats had a chance. They moved to a hill across the river from Boston, overlooking the town of Charlestown. From this position on Breed's Hill (later renamed for nearby Bunker's Hill) they threatened British ships and Boston. The British replied to this insolence with artillery fire from their ships, which set Charlestown on fire. General Gage ordered British General William Howe to send soldiers across the river and up the hill against the Americans. This order was a terrible mistake on Gage's part. Though his troops were organized, brave, and well-trained, they were no match for the American’s position. The redcoats advanced uphill, carrying heavy packs and weapons, while the Americans waited behind bales of hay and earthen walls they'd built the night before. American commanders William Prescott and Israel Putnam ordered their men to hold their fire until the enemy was near—”close enough to see the whites of their eyes.” They had very little ammunition and every shot would count. For hours, the British troops tried to take the hill. Again and again, the redcoats marched up the slopes, only to fall when they came within range of American fire. They retreated, regathered, and attacked again until nearly half their number were killed or wounded. Beneath them, Charlestown's buildings burned and crashed to the ground. Cannons roared from

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