Washington Miniseries

A Fresh Take on History

Historian Alexis Coe served as a consulting producer on the Washington miniseries and recently published a new book on Washington that shakes up the genre of presidential biographies

Slavery

Mount Vernon was the home of George Washington. It was also home to hundreds of enslaved men, women, and children.

He depended on their labor to build and maintain his household and plantation. They, in turn, found ways to survive in a world that denied their freedom. As a young man, Washington accepted slavery, but after the Revolutionary War, he began to question it. Washington avoided the issue publicly, believing that bitter debates over slavery could tear apart the fragile nation.

Native Americans

George Washington had a complicated relationship with Native Americans. He was born into a world in which native peoples were still major players in the Americas, despite having suffered through three centuries of European diseases, dispossession, and warfare. Throughout his life, Washington negotiated with and served alongside native peoples, fought against others, and sought their land for his own prosperity.

Martha Washington

Martha Washington was the first first lady of the United States and spent about half of the Revolutionary War at the front with General Washington. She helped manage and run her husbands' estates and raised children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Religion

George Washington was a devout 18th-century Anglican. He regularly attended church and served as both a vestryman and churchwarden. Washington worked tirelessly to ensure people of all religions had the right to practice within the United States.

Health

George Washington was often concerned he would die young. To try to prevent an early death, Washington exercised, ate and drank moderately, attempted to get enough sleep, and avoided tobacco. Even with these healthy habits, Washington was afflicted with a number of serious illnesses. 

Death

On the evening of December 14, 1799, at Mount Vernon, George Washington passed away from a throat infection. He was buried a few days later in the family vault at Mount Vernon. In his will, written several months before his death, Washington left directions for the emancipation of all the slaves that he directly owned, after the death of Martha Washington.