Discover the People & Experiences That Forged Washington's Leadership
Learn about George Washington's family, his career as a surveyor, his trip to Barbados, how he met his future wife, Martha Dandridge Custis, and his experiences during the French and Indian War int he Ford Orientation Center.
George Washington led our country as commander in chief during the American Revolution, and then as our very first president. Many of the leadership talents he had as a general and president were forged while he was young.
He was influenced by his family, friends, and his experiences on the frontier as a surveyor and then an officer in the French and Indian War. The people he met and experiences he had during these years all shaped the person he would go on to become later in life.
Learn About the Rules of Civility
While he was growing up, George Washington copied out the Rules of Civility as a penmanship exercise.
The Rules of Civility were 110 rules relating to etiquette and how to behave in society. Washington seems to have taken the lesson to heart and remembered the rules throughout his life.
