He didn't want the job. Seriously. By the time 1789 rolled around, George Washington was tired, his back probably ached from years in the saddle, and all he really wanted to do was oversee the wheat harvests at Mount Vernon. But history had other plans. When we talk about George Washington first president of the United States, we often paint this picture of a marble statue—stiff, stoic, and perfectly composed. The reality was a lot messier. It involved a man terrified of failing a brand-new country and a leader who had to figure out how to be a "president" when the world only knew how to be "kings."
He was essentially the guinea pig for democracy.
Imagine walking into a room and every single thing you do—the way you bow, the way you answer the door, even the carriage you ride in—sets a precedent that could last for centuries. No pressure, right? Washington was acutely aware that if he acted too much like a monarch, the Revolution was for nothing. If he acted too casual, the office would lose its authority and the country would dissolve into chaos. It was a brutal balancing act.
The Myth of the Reluctant Leader
Most people think Washington cruised into the presidency with a smile. Actually, he described his journey to the inauguration in New York as feeling like a "culprit who is going to the place of his execution." He wasn't being dramatic. He knew the stakes. The United States in 1789 was a disaster. We were broke, the British were still poking around the edges of our territory, and nobody was quite sure if the Constitution was actually going to work.
Washington's biggest contribution wasn't just winning the war; it was the fact that he was willing to walk away from power. That’s the thing that blew everyone’s mind back then. King George III reportedly said that if Washington resigned his commission after the war and then later gave up the presidency, he would be the "greatest man in the world."
And he did it. Twice.
Dealing with a Cabinet of Rivals
You think modern politics is toxic? Look at Washington's first cabinet. He hand-picked Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, two men who basically pioneered the art of hating each other’s guts. Washington was the only person who could keep them in the same room without a duel breaking out.
Hamilton wanted a strong central government and a national bank. Jefferson wanted a rural, agrarian society with most of the power staying with the states. Washington sat in the middle, trying to play referee. This wasn't just a petty disagreement; it was a fundamental fight over what America was going to be. Washington leaned toward Hamilton's financial vision because he knew a country without credit was a country that wouldn't survive its first decade. He signed the bill for the First Bank of the United States in 1791, even though Jefferson tried to argue it was unconstitutional.
George Washington First President and the Whiskey Rebellion
One of the weirdest and most important moments of his presidency happened over booze. Specifically, whiskey. To pay off war debts, the government slapped a tax on distilled spirits. Farmers in Western Pennsylvania were livid. They started harassing tax collectors, and things got violent fast.
Washington didn't send a strongly worded letter. He put on his old uniform, hopped on a horse, and led 13,000 militia troops toward Pennsylvania. He's still the only sitting president to lead troops in the field like that.
It sounds like overkill, but it was a message. He had to prove that the laws passed by Congress weren't just "suggestions." When the rebels saw the massive army coming, they basically went home. Washington eventually pardoned the ringleaders, showing a mix of "don't mess with the law" and "I’m not a tyrant." It worked. The federal government proved it had teeth.
The Teeth, the Hair, and the Reality
Let’s clear something up: his teeth weren't made of wood. That’s a total myth. They were actually made of a pretty gross combination of ivory, lead, and—honestly, this is the part people hate—human teeth purchased from enslaved people and others.
He was in constant pain.
By the time he was inaugurated, he had exactly one natural tooth left in his mouth. This isn't just a fun trivia fact; it explains why he looks so grumpy in portraits. His dentures were held together by springs that forced his mouth shut. If he relaxed his jaw, his mouth would pop open. This made public speaking an absolute nightmare for him. It’s likely why his inaugural addresses were so short compared to the long-winded oratory of the era.
Slavery and the Great Moral Contradiction
You can't talk about George Washington first president without talking about the 300+ enslaved people at Mount Vernon. This is the hardest part of his legacy to reconcile. Here was a man fighting for "liberty" while owning human beings.
As he got older, his views started to shift, but he never had the moral courage to abolish slavery during his lifetime. He was worried that if he made a move against slavery while president, it would tear the fragile Union apart. In his will, he did arrange for his enslaved people to be freed after his wife, Martha, passed away. He was the only "Founding Father" president to do so. But that doesn't erase the reality of the lives he controlled for decades. It's a heavy, complicated part of his story that shows he was a man of his time, stuck between an old, cruel world and the new ideals he helped create.
Why the Two-Term Limit Matters
Washington could have been president until he died. People practically begged him to run for a third term. But he saw his health failing and he saw the political parties (Federalists and Democratic-Republicans) starting to tear each other apart.
He decided to step down in 1796.
This was his final, most important act. By leaving, he ensured that the presidency was an office, not a person. He established the "two-term tradition" that lasted until FDR broke it in 1940 (which eventually led to the 22nd Amendment). His Farewell Address is still read in the Senate every year. In it, he warned against "the spirit of party" and getting tangled up in foreign alliances. If you read it today, it feels eerily prophetic.
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The Real Cause of Death
He didn't die of old age. He died of a throat infection (epiglottitis) in December 1799 after riding through a freezing rainstorm to check on his farm. The medical treatment of the time arguably killed him faster than the infection did. Doctors bled him four times, taking out about 40% of his total blood volume. He was essentially drained of life while trying to breathe.
Even on his deathbed, he was obsessed with order. His last words were "Tis well." He died as he lived—controlled, dignified, and deeply aware of how he would be remembered.
How to Apply Washington's Principles Today
If you're looking to take a page out of the first president's book, it’s not about wearing a powdered wig. It’s about these specific traits:
- Listen to the opposition. Washington kept Hamilton and Jefferson in his ear because he wanted to hear the best arguments from both sides before making a choice. Don't hide in an echo chamber.
- Know when to leave. Whether it’s a job, a project, or a leadership role, knowing when your time is up is a sign of strength, not weakness.
- The "Precedent" Rule. Before you act, ask yourself: "If everyone did what I'm about to do, would the system still work?"
- Action over Oratory. Washington wasn't a great speaker, but he was a massive "doer." He showed up. He led from the front.
If you want to dive deeper into the gritty details of his presidency, check out Ron Chernow’s biography Washington: A Life. It gets past the marble and into the man. You could also take a trip to Mount Vernon—it’s not just a museum; it’s a working farm that gives you a much better sense of the scale of his life than any textbook ever could.
Stop thinking of him as a face on a dollar bill. Think of him as a guy who was handed the keys to a brand-new, broken car and somehow managed to drive it across the country without a map. That’s the real story of the first president.
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Next Steps for History Buffs:
- Read the Farewell Address: It takes about 20 minutes and is shockingly relevant to today’s political climate.
- Visit the Whiskey Rebellion sites: If you're ever near Washington, PA, the history there is incredibly well-preserved.
- Research the "Rules of Civility": Washington copied 110 rules for social behavior as a teenager. They explain a lot about his legendary self-control.