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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: History
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

Chronology - George Washington, George Washington: A Collection [1988]

Edition used:

George Washington: A Collection, compiled and edited by W.B. Allen (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1988).

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


Chronology

  • 1732February 22 (Old Style, February 11) Birth of George Washington
  • 1752November 6 G. W. becomes a major in Virginia Militia
  • 1753October 31 G. W. undertakes mission for Governor Dinwiddie to warn French off British territory
  • 1754March 20 G. W., now Lt. Colonel, assumes command of expedition to Fort DuquesneMay 28 Death of Jumonville at hands of G.W.’s expeditionary force; international incidentJuly 4 Surrender of Fort Necessity to FrenchNovember 1 G.W. protests subordination to British regulars of lower rank; resigns commission
  • 1755May 10 G.W. appointed Aide-de-Camp to General Braddock, Commander-in-Chief of British forces in AmericaJuly 9 Braddock’s army routed, with loss of the Commander; G.W. displays notable braveryAugust 14 G.W. appointed Colonel and Commander of Virginia forces
  • 1758July 24 G.W. elected to Virginia House of Burgesses for Frederick CountyNovember 23 Fort Duquesne abandoned by French; G.W. resigns commission
  • 1759January 6 G.W. marries Martha Dandridge Custis
  • 1761May 18 G.W. re-elected to House of Burgesses
  • 1765May 30 Patrick Henry delivers speech against the Stamp ActJuly 16 G. W. elected Burgess for Fairfax County
  • 1769May 18 G. W. carries articles of association drawn up with G. Mason—a non-importation agreement
  • 1770October 5 G. W. begins exploration of Ohio Territory
  • 1774May 24 Virginia resolves against Boston Port Act; Assembly continues meeting after being dissolved by GovernorAugust 1 G. W. elected to attend First Continental Congress by Virginia ConventionSeptember 5 First Continental Congress, Philadelphia
  • 1775March 25 G. W. elected to Second Continental CongressMay 10 Second Continental Congress, Philadelphia; G. W. attends in military dressJune 15 G. W. appointed Commander-in-Chief of continental forcesJuly 3 G. W. takes command, at Cambridge, Mass., of 16,000 armed men
  • 1776March 17 British evacuate BostonJuly 4 Declaration of IndependenceAugust 27 Battle of Long Island; Americans retreat, ultimately across Delaware RiverDecember 25-26 G. W. recrosses Delaware, surprises British Hessians, takes 1,000 prisoners
  • 1777January 3 Battle of Trenton; British defeatedSeptember 11 Americans defeated at Brandywine CreekOctober 4 Americans defeated at GermantownOctober 17 Surrender of Burgoyne at SaratogaNovember 14 Articles of Confederation sent to states
  • 1778June 18 British evacuate PhiladelphiaJune 28 Battle of Monmouth; British defeated
  • 1779August 19 British driven from New JerseyOctober 19 Battle for Savannah; Count Pulaski slain
  • 1780May 25 Mutiny at Morristown following winter of supply shortages and no pay for troops
  • 1781March 1 Articles of Confederation ratifiedSeptember 8 Battle of Eutaw Springs; British retreat to CharlestonOctober 19 Battle of Yorktown; Cornwallis surrenders with 7,000 men
  • 1783March 15 Newburgh AddressMay 19 G. W. announces peace agreement, still pending ratification, to armyJune 8 “Circular Address to the Governors of the Thirteen States”September 3 Peace Treaty signed in Paris; the report reaches America in late OctoberNovember 2 G. W. bids farewell to the armyDecember 4 G. W. bids farewell to his officersDecember 23 G. W. resigns as Commander-in-Chief before Congress at Annapolis
  • 1785March 28 Mount Vernon Conference on navigation of Potomac and Chesapeake
  • 1786September 14 Annapolis Convention; call for Constitutional ConventionOctober 16 G. W. appointed to Virginia delegation to Constitutional Convention
  • 1787January-February Shays’ Rebellion in MassachusettsFebruary 21 Confederation Congress approves call for ConventionMay 25 Constitutional Convention opens with quorum of seven states represented; G. W. unanimously elected Convention President
  • 1788June 21 New Hampshire becomes ninth state to ratify Constitution, making it effective
  • 1789January 7 Presidential electors appointedFebruary 4 G. W. unanimously chosen PresidentApril 30 G. W. inaugurated as first President
  • 1791December 15 Bill of Rights ratified
  • 1792December 5 G. W. re-elected to presidency
  • 1793March 4 Second Inaugural
  • 1794November 19 G. W. declares suppression of Whiskey Rebellion
  • 1795August 14 G. W. signs Jay Treaty
  • 1796September 19 G. W. publishes his “Farewell Address” in the American Daily Advertiser
  • 1797March 4 G. W. retires
  • 1799December 14 G. W. dies at Mount Vernon