Fun fact: Washington was also impossible to kill. The man in his lifetime had tuberculosis, dysentery, pneumonia, malaria, smallpox, and diphtheria which were usually lethal at the time. The discomfort from dysentery made him sit taller on his horse. He trotted 30 yards away from the British at Princeton and had to be pulled away. It was so cold crossing the Delaware that the river was mostly frozen and 2 soldiers who crossed were found frozen on the road next morning. He had 2 horses shot out from under him at Pittsburgh, and discovered after the battle that he had 4 bullet holes in his coat. The man is a legend.
@Gawani Mateus A very dark time indeed. Canada's atrocities continued well into the late 20th century with the residential schools. When I went to high school it was never taught. The governments preferred to sweep it under the rug but at least there is more awareness today. While our current Prime Minister apologized, it was given with shallow promises. He would rather give billions of money away to his buddies, people that don't want to work, Chinese companies, the Clinton foundation & international countries than give clean water to indigenous communities. All while having a stupid smirk on his face.
@@bigtex1238 Well he was a democrat. What do you expect? But that was the time. (thank God the republican party came to be and ended slavery.) If you were dumb, you were a slave. The people of India developed yoga to show the British they were not dumb and hence were not enslaved.
A thing I always admired about Washington was how he referred to his office as a servant's position, and how he referred to all elected officials as the servants of the people. Not leaders, we lead ourselves. Not those in charge, we rule ourselves. Our servants. Most politicians have utterly lost the thread of that narrative.
@@axelpatrickb.pingol3228 ...so there's a check/balance on the *nationally leveraged* political power of the populace, as well. This is perfectly in line with our idea of a "law as supreme" republic, as the founders were highly distrustful of direct democracy.
@@jeremykiahsobyk102 That undermines YOUR comment that those in government are "servants" of the people. If the "servants" won't follow what its master (the people) believe in, can we ever say the government IS a servant or the people masters of themselves? There is the fault of logic in your original statement...
@@axelpatrickb.pingol3228 Think of the Constitution of establishing a "minarchist" government. The smaller the overall power is, and the more widely distributed, the better. The founders highly distrusted democracy and so wished to limit the ability of everyone to project political power into others' lives. A check on the direct power of the populace is perfectly in line with this idea, even though the electoral college has never directly upset the outcome of an election by "faithless" delegates defying the votes of their various state populations. Additionally, the "servants of the people" are more accurately characterized as Legislators, which are directly elected by the populace. The electoral college is *only* used for federal presidential elections, not for legislators. The idea behind it is to put another layer of protection against a tyrant stepping into office.
@@jeremykiahsobyk102 In short, the President of the United States of America is NOT a servant of the People nor is anybody else excludingvthe legislators. Better change that OP comment of yours. It doesn't reflect your arguments you are making.
Despite his faults I still feel that Washington is morally superior to most people who would be in his time. He willingly gave up his power when many people wanted to make him king, and he even figured out a workaround so that his slaves could be freed after his death. The most annoying thing I find is that people look on the morality of past people through modern glasses, thinking if they lived back then that they would be morally superior to other people, not realizing that their morality is a product of hundreds of years of philosophical development on what it means to be moral.
Just compare Washington to the majority of revolutionary leader who became dictators: Napoleon, Lenin, Castro, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Mao, Stalin and many other people. I think this is enough of a positive legacy for George Washington.
Plenty of past cultures had no slaves. Not to mention that no one ever really asks the slaves how they felt about being owned. Since so many ran away or committed suicide, I'd assume they weren't too fond of their station. Many people of the time realized slavery was wrong in the USA, along with other things that were technically legal but morally pretty terrible. For instance - there were no real child abuse laws in the US until 1974. Up until the 30s, you could do just about anything to them, as they were legally the property of their fathers. Mary Ellen Wilson was either the first or one of the first child abuse cases actually prosecuted - in 1874. The ASPCA had to take her case - no one else would, and it was only picked up due to outrage. For whipping, burning, freezing, starving, cutting and effectively torturing a child for 8 years - the foster mother got...1 year. The foster father got nothing. It was another 60-ish years before mandatory reporting laws started popping up. The 'morality of the time' argument shouldn't be thrown around so cavalierly. Not everyone felt certain things that were legal were moral, same as today. I accept the 'morality of the times' argument for things like the Celts drugging and burying children in peat bogs as a religious practice...stuff like that.
FErgersonn THE GREAT Considering how much time he wasted in France whoring and drinking kinda makes that less than acceptably true. I love me some Franklin, but he won no battles, served no greater purpose in the actual war than funding and helping ensure the death of a foreign monarch. Lol inadvertently of course, but hey. It happens. I’m just sayin, if you’re going to give him the credit for what he DID do then he ties with Jefferson and Adams in many respects and nothing can put one above the other in mere contributions to the cause, personal flaws and opinions completely aside.
FErgersonn THE GREAT also, George was the only man that could have held the army together. Benjamin was a genius and far smarter. But George was absolutely essential.
@@ladyphoenixgrey3923 France wouldn't have joined the war if not for Franklin. He was the most famous inventor at the time. George Washington almost made us lost the war.
As with every founding father. Great Men arent always good men. Holding them to today's standards is also unrealistic. They did great things that give us what we have even today.
Which is a fair perspective although I'd argue that the negative opinions people have developed especially in recent years comes from a reaction to the whitewashed and fetishized portrayal of the founders as perfect pillars of intellect and morality. In reality even as revolutionaries they were revolutionaries in their time and as such had a number of logical and moral fallacies in their ideas that should be acknowledged.
For their time they were forward thinking. They went against the thinking of many around them every step of the way. Its not really whitewashed when they were all white though. I don't think that word is applicable here.
@@ronsorage78 whitewashing can mean to exonerate and ignore flaws and moral failings, it's not just a phrase to get rid of non white people. Yes like I said they were revolutionaries of their time but they shouldn't be portrayed as perfect either as is done often it seems in American history. They had moral hypocrisy, failures, were sometimes elitists and some committed morally reprehensible actions regardless of time period. The good and the bad should be balanced because otherwise people can use the false moral purity of America to justify monstrous actions and ignore the countries own flaws.
Well there is already plenty of false moral purity going on today and if they had been seen as morally superior throughout time we wouldn't know their failings currently. All of them have been well documented and used against each other. How people choose to see them is another story and isn't really something others control. That isn't a failing of historical accounts though.
@@ronsorage78 wasn't accusing historians of failing I'm talking more of cultural depictions and mythologizing the founders. I'm glad that perspective seems to be falling out of favour in recent generations looking at people like the founding fathers, christopher columbus or from my own perspective Irish nationalists like Patrick Pearce in a more objective lense because I do consider it a dangerous thing to remove moral failings from your countries figures.
When napoleon bonaparte was exiled out of France after his attempts at empire came to an end, he regrettably said, "they wanted me to be another Washington"
@@kevinsedwards There should be no civil penalties for using the word, "awesome", any way you wish. I'm only expressing my understanding of the meaning of the word and why I avoid using it to refer to anything or everything about which I wish to express admiration.
Agreed, he failed a lot before he ever became the general leading the charge against the lobster backs, and even then he always acknowledged his flaws.
Advisor: Your majesty, would you prefer a crown with blue gems or red ones? Washington: I'm no king. Advisor: But you overthrew our old king... Washington: Yes but I'm going to form a republic and be a president. Advisor: So a presidential crown? Washington: No crown.
The one thing that Washington did that was considered amazing at the time, when his term of office was over, he left. He could’ve been a king but he chose not to. That wasn’t a thing back in the day, people that had power back then you know like Napoleon, didn’t give it up. It will be interesting to see if Simon mentions that fact in this retelling of history.🌲🌲🌲
Speaking as a Texan, our country is rotten to the core. We have been a true villain on the world stage since the end of WWII. I am deeply ashamed to call myself American, and I cannot wait to watch this evil empire crumble under it's own stupidity.
@@trblessed1020 When America gets impartial treatment it comes off pretty bad...its not anti-American bias, it's just flat out straight forward without trying to make excuses or put a positive spin on things.
I find it interesting that our "father" of this country did not like the idea of separate political partys. Probably saw then how much more chaos that would be.
When he had the hindsight of looking at the British Parliament's Whig and Tory parties. Though he needs to understand that factions WILL exist regardless...
It’s even amazing to hear about his war strategies. The man literally knew exactly how his enemies were going to think, and usually lost due to unfair circumstances like his own troops getting drunk or falling back due to cowardice. It’s amazing how much of an absolute genius Washington is
@@trexasaurus5322 You're right, we can never eliminate parties, but if we eliminate first past the post voting and the electoral college we can have more than 2 sides.
How could he all your founding fathers were slave owners George Washington's slaves ran away from his plantations because he treated them so brutely all of them were members of secret societies Ben Franklin was a member of the freeking hell fire club who were known to practice satanic human sacrifice people who have ultimate power will never do what's best for the average person none of us matter to them same is said of people in power today sadly
@Christopher Harper Digicash and destroy all his gas-guzzling SUV. Oh. Different times but still a mistake. Chris, please let me know when you are perfect.
He was, what I consider, to be a great man. I feel his well-recorded attempts to not become the center of the universe for the country, while still sacrificing so much to get to that point proves his greatness, that he truly believed in the righteousness of the cause, the idea of the United States of America.
But our founding fathers protected us hundreds of years before and the laws the put in place still give us freedom other countries can’t imagine . 1st 2nd and 4th admendment are as important now as ever was before
The Bowser administration in DC put forward a radical proposal to move the Washington monument, or add some display with 'context' concerning G.W. conforming to the 1619 Project. These people are crazy.
“‘‘Tis well. I die hard, but I am not afraid to go.”-George’s last words, spoken to Martha with difficulty (due to his swollen tongue) on Dec 14, 1799.
My 5x Great Grandfather was a Hessian soldier captured by Washington on December 26, 1776 in Trenton, NJ. He was sold to the Brits to fight the war. The Hessians were taken to Carlisle Barracks in PA where they were forced into slave labor. After the war he was given land by William Pitt in Soutwest Pennsylvania where many of my cousins still live today. Wonder what would have happened they never been captured. Happy Constitution Day.
I read in a biography of the Marquise Lafayette: A large number of Hessian prisoners were kept in Virginia what is now called Fredericksburg. After taking an oath not to fight against the Americans, the Hessian soldiers married local women, started families, set up farms and stores, etc. [during the span of the war]. When the British came through on their way to Yorktown, and tried to 'free the Hessians,' they refused to go with the British troops. They seemed to settle in and adapted to their new life in America well. In a sense, they were free.
@@kathleenking3955 They definitely weren’t free in Hesse-Kassel where they came from. Most of the revenue from Hesse-Kassel came from selling soldiers to foreign governments.
We're not going to get salty about a war that happened almost 250 years ago. I'm a Brit and Washington is one of my heroes simply because of the sheer amount of adversity he had to overcome, mentally and physically.
I love that the UK are good friends today. Personally, my study of the American Revolution, and of George III, seems to indicate that the American colonies were very well off and well treated by the Crown. George was a pretty good guy, who loved the farming life and understood common people, whom he preferred over the pomp and intrigue of the Court. I think there are many more serious reasons for revolution today, than then. Hey! FBI! You guys getting all this this?
He wasn't a perfect man,but that is why we should remember him. He never tried to be anything other than what he believed this country needed. If he could speak today he would tell those that disgrace themselves in office that the ones who deserve power are the ones who never use it for their own gain.
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” “The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.” - George Washington
I absolutely love George Washington, he could've easily became king but he turned down the absolute power. That alone makes me admire him! He did own slaves and that's very unfortunate but he was a product of his time.
My grandad taught me about Washington when I was a kid. I'm 51 and grew up in the Industrial West Midlands in England. I've always thought that most Britons living as colonists under those circumstances would've done the same. George Washington was always a man to admire and respect in our household.
That's debatable. British colonialists and settlers in New England, Virginia, Pennsylvania, presumably were inclined and pushed to do something about taxes that were cutting into their vast profits. Colonialists in the many of the future founding States perhaps were comfortable with the Status Quo and there is no doubt that there were British settlers and Colonialists who fought for the British Armies at the time. In any case, the myth of Washington fed directly into American Identity since 1783. The vast American Project (national and overseas) that followed into the period of 1800-1900 certainly expanded the United States far West to the Pacific and culminated by the end of 1945, the territory of the Philippines. So from the original 13 Colonies, the expansion Pack included the absorption of territory and people. An interesting foreign policy that copied elements of colonialism and subjugation into its template.
I will not stop asking. Please make more videos covering the people in the American Civil War, for example; Thomas Jackson, better known as Stonewall General William T. Sherman, who I really couldnt say anything about without someone getting pissed Confederate President Jefferson Davies Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the first African-American Regiment in the Civil War Ulysses S. Grant, who needs no introduction Etc. I just wish there were more videos that tackled the people in the Civil War on your channel
I agree.. and has he done a video on Andrew Jackson I forget.. but plenty awesome American hero’s, some who’s numbers during battles were as surprising as the mythological 300 Spartans the battle happened but not with just 300 Spartans America on the other hand has victories not many countries have the pleasure to claim .. battle of New Orleans , battles between Washington and redcoats such as battle of Brooklyn etc . Americans resilience and fighting spirit shall not be forgotten or walked on by the powers that be .
Think it would be better to keep the civil war bios on the AMERICANS and not the traitors(IMO). As soon as the seceded they stopped being Americans and became Confederates. Besides I feel its far more important to know the bad parts of the American leadership rather then Confederates as those are far more well known. To know the good parts all one has to do is open a textbook and filter out the lies.
I'll let you finish, but Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the greatest figure from the Civil War. Whipped those desterters into shape, crushed it in Fredericksburg, fixed the hell out of those bayonets and swung on down round top. Man was a G. D. Legend. And he was a teacher. Respect the stache.
randy tessman shut up with your nonsense . Regurgitating history written by the same people who keep us in this perpetual state of war . The south were fighting against being pimped out by the feds over states rights the same as AMERICA did against the British before you call the original colonies traitors too against the British ? Learn history sheep.
Part of Washington's genius was his ability to see the talents in others and to place them in positions to use those talents. This was true in both his military and political career. He is a leader to be admired.
Belive it or not he was very sassy in real life as well. George didn't swear much, but when he did cuss out one charles Lee Lafayette said "I have never seen such great swearing"
I was just wondering where all the Hamilfans were! Turns out Hamilton taught me more than I realised, I knew about half of what came up in this video and I've never studied it 😂
Washington's presidency is often not talked about beyond precedents he set, but one thing I feel is important to note: Washington was regularly criticized by the media at the time, although they hesitated to attack him directly because of how revered he was. He was far from a perfect executive as is, but some went so far as to create fake documents. Washington hated this, but when he did something about it he chose the way of the pen and not the way of the king, opting to be more critical rather than trying to shut them down altogether. He firmly believed in the importance of the first amendment right to free speech even it was at times to his personal detriment. Which if you ask me is pretty cool.
Not all british feel butthurt about the revolutionary war, in fact some like me support the Americans especially since George Washington is my 11th cousin 9 times removed.
Barely at all. “After years of war our first colony broke away and that’s why we have those annoying tourists that we squeeze for every £ they’re worth” That’s what I imagine history classes in the UK would teach about it.
1:35 - Chapter 1 - Early life 2:45 - Chapter 2 - Early military career 5:55 - Chapter 3 - Road to revolution 7:50 - Chapter 4 - The thrill of victory & the agony of death 10:15 - Chapter 5 - The crossing of the delaware 11:25 - Chapter 6 - The war turns 13:15 - Chapter 7 - Valley forge to the end of the war 16:05 - Chapter 8 - Mr President 18:40 - Chapter 9 - Last days
Imagine a stateman that fought, risked his life, suffered years of turmoil against the odds, saw his friends die, witnessed true betrayal and then still turned down power. I feel like he is the antithesis of the modern american/western politician. We need more Washington types today badly.
He had a statue actually modeled after the one in Olimpia Greece of the King of the Gods Zeus. However since he was half naked in front the Capitol building the puritans would eventually lose their collective minds over it and replaced it with an Obelisk.
Hey I know no one is going to read this but o feel like it needs to be heard regardless, that small smallpox bout that George Washington dealt with as a young man is often thought to have influenced him later in life, especially during the Revolutionary war. You see George Washington, having gone through the awful disease so early in his life, was able to physically grasp what Smallpox could do to an army, putting it out of commission for months on end at best and killing several troops at worst. That is believed why he retreated from several battles he was winning, because the British were all inoculated against Smallpox, while the Americans (especially those in the New England and Southern Colonies, though the middle colonies faired better) were new to inoculate, and thus had not been exposed to smallpox. This along with him urging his troops to get inoculated is thought to be how he helped win the war. If your looking for my sources I got it from a book called Pox Americana, the great Smallpox epidemic of 1775-1782. It goes into great detail on how smallpox spread through the late 18th century North America, not just Colonial America, but Canada and New Spain and Russian Alaska as well. Very good read I would highly recommend.
My unfortunate compulsion to internally screech Hamilton lyrics aside, it genuinely makes me so happy to get videos that encompass all facets of a man like Washington. I’ve loved the American Revolution since I was little, and even though as I’ve grown up and learned more as certain parts of the history became more age appropriate I’ve obviously come to know the darker sides of the story and am fully aware it wasn’t the fun ‘Americans did no wrong’ that you start out learning, I still believe that will all the good and the bad, the American Revolution and George Washington remain one of the most interesting and inspiring tales of fortitude in written history. Note, I’m not trying to lessen the impact and importance of any other country’s history, I guess I just really get hyped at the big picture of the Revolution.
When I visited Gettysburg, Washington's coach was on display. It had some faded gold lettering on it in a language unfamiliar to me. I asked the docent whether she could translate it. She translated it as, "By the end is the means justified." That, by itself, would be evidence for me to think that Washington hated revolution and he hated war. He was willing to participate in such things only because he considered them to be necessary evils. My parents encourage my sibling and me to admire several historical figures but they didn't encourage us to idolize any but one - and it wasn't Washington. What we celebrate on Independence Day is not so much a place as an idea - the idea that ordinary people don’t need royalty or aristocracy or clergy to tell us what to believe and what to do and not do. When thirteen colonies in North America declared independence from Great Britain, there were hardly any other countries in the world whose citizens enjoyed greater freedom than the citizens of Great Britain. Not only that, but people who lived in the British Isles (at least many of them) were represented in Parliament in such a way that the king was, yes, a “monarch” with great power and influence but even that power and influence was not absolute. Not only did the colonists resent taxation without representation, some of those colonists envisioned “a country without a king and a church without a pope”. If young people are “embarrassed” that the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence have not been fully realized or that there are still some citizens of the United States who haven’t been able to fully participate in the “government of the people, by the people and for the people”, why on Earth don’t they - or whoever is paying their college tuition - demand that they be taught how to participate in the political process in constructive ways with the goal of increasing freedom for U.S. citizens who they think should have more freedom than they have now? Our parents taught my siblings and me that we have no right to complain about a problem unless we have ideas about how to solve the problem. If someone were to ask me, “Are you proud to be an American?” I’d be more likely to answer: “No. But instead of complaining, I’d rather do the hard work of actually thinking about ways to solve problems and then working to ensure that my suggestions are adequately represented in the marketplace of ideas.” Many of the young people in the United States right now seem to actually want the president or Congress to tell other people what to believe and what do do and not do - not realizing that their own liberty depends on whether they - or other people better than themselves - are willing to work for the liberty of even people with whom they disagree.
@@frostfirei Not one of then was willing to give his life for the country? So you know as a FACT that NOBODY who calls themself a patriot today was ever in the military?
Definitely one of the greatest freedom fighters in history (up with Bolivar and a few others). And unlike men such as Lenin, Mao, Robespierre, Cromwell and Marshal Tito, Washington did NOT become the villain as its first official leader, refused tyranny, and died an even greater hero. One of the most remarkable political figures the modern world has ever seen (reportedly, even George III and Napoleon were both astonished by him, and it's understable why).
One thing to note, his adolescent academic home schooling was relatively great, but he along with Ben Franklin are some of the rare few in the early republic elite that didn't go to university.
JFK made this comment when he had a number of Nobel Prize winners to the White House for a dinner: "The last time thee was this much intelligence in this room was when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
Honestly he deserves some admiration for consistently being reluctant to hold power and for putting his foot down and stepping down after only 8 years in office
The reason Washington will always be remembered as the best president is simple - he set the tone for every president to follow... Washington returned to civilian life after serving as president with no issues or problems. Every president since Washington has upheld this tradition with honor. And that one act has made him the best American President.
A few fun facts: Washington has a distillery on Mount Vernon, which a few years ago Budweiser made a beer according to one of Washington's recipes... One of his lesser known nicknames was "Three Bottle Washington" because he could finish three fifths of whiskey without blacking out.... He also grew hemp on his plantation... They said you did not want to get on his bad side, as he had quite the temper on him... And as per his final instructions, "do not bury me less than three days after I am dead," was due to his fear of being buried alive
A lot of people judge Washington's military career by the battles he fought, and he did lose most of his battles and he did make strategic and tactical mistakes, however all generals, no matter their fame or caliber, have made mistakes and lost battles. Washington isn't considered a great military leader because he won many battles. He is considered a great military leader because he lead an unorganized, under-trained, under-strength, under-equipped, barely held coherent and brand new army together for SIX YEARS against a much larger, established, and capable force. One of the largest military empires on earth. Sure the British were "fighting away from home", but they almost always fought away from home, and their might was never questioned in any of their colonial conquests or European wars. Even if there was not such a tremendous adversary, just the capability to build and maintain an army from scratch is the marking of a great leader. The logistics, planning, organization, motivation, and training of any new command is difficult, and Washington managed to make due while in the middle of a conflict and with limited support and resources. He did have the aid of other great leaders of the early US Army such as Von Stuben and Gates who he could not have achieved this without, but also I don't believe any other single person supporting the American Revolution could have replaced Washington. He was the right man at the right time.
Wasn't it confirmed in the 80s? As trump seems to be pushing for a third term as a right. Sounds ridiculous he would the one to try topple the republic
In my whole family tree I only have one great grandfather that fought in the revolutionary war. He escaped twice as an indentured servant to the Pennsylvania Governer he was a POW from Austria. The second time he escaped he heard of Washington stationed at Valley Forge headed there and told them of his experience as a soldier, his current status (escaped servant to british governor) and was enlisted to the continental army. He lived a free man after the war was over, had a family hence I'm here today.
You can’t judge a man by modern standards. Yes he owned hundreds of slaves and refused to free them while he was writing his hemp paper about liberty, and sure he had his slaves’ teeth ripped out so that he could wear them in his own mouth but that’s just what people did then. You can’t judge a man for wanting the nice teeth of his animals for himself. He’s still a great man 😂
What made me admire Washington was he wanted to retire after the Revolution(which George III allegedly said Washington would be the "Greatest Man" if he did that), didn't want to be President but did it anyway, ability to see talented men like Nathanael Green and Alexander Hamilton, hated politics and warned people about it in his farewell speech, and he freed his slaves unlike his successors.
here comes the General!! Ladies and Gentlemen!! Here comes the General!! the moment you've been waiting for, here comes the General, the pride of Mount Vernon, Here Comes the General George Washington!!!
I've been a student of the life and times of George Washington since 2001, including his role in starting the French & Indian War/"Seven Years War" throughout the rest of his life, and the key alliance with his "Right-Hand Man," Alexander Hamilton in founding the American Republic as we know it. You did a great job with the high points of the GW Story. Would love to see your take on Hamilton's role, and their indispensable relationship...
George Washington is one of the only men in history who’s life not only lives up to his legend but exceeds it. Even his flaws show not only what a great man he was but also how he did it as a real man, a real person, and a real soul. Something I’ve found incredibly interesting is the amount of regret and thought he put into his decisions before and after his public life, this shows how he was just like every other man but still managed to be greater than life
Washington agreed to serve as commander of the Continental Army for no pay, just his expenses covered by the Government. At the end of the war when he submitted his expense report to the government, auditors found that he had made a mistake. Four cents in favor of the Government. An honest man. The indispensable man.
It’s interesting how this video attempts to more greatly humanize Washington with more historical accuracy, but ultimately it made me appreciate my favorite president way more than I previously did.
I agree, it's far better to reveal the faults of a man to help humanize him I respect MLK jr more knowing that he struggled with adultery all his life despite him claiming to be a man of God and also his unknowingly use of plagerism on his theological dissertation And I also respect Mandela more because he suffered consequences for having advocated for the use of scumbag terror tactics such as child soldiers in resisting the S. African regime And yet once he got out of prison he rescinded his support for such tactics and helped bridge the gap as best he could between the two groups w/o violence Presenting these faults helps with the idea that men even good ones, can struggle. It the dumbfuks that think 1 fault is more than enough to simply erase all the success they gained in their life
Well done - a perfect introduction for kids virtual learning about Washington - sets up discussions for further learning about the most honorable person America was given
I highly recommend the book by Glenn Beck "Becoming George Washington ". A well written book that details the person and character of Washington. If we had such men of character today, we might not be in the mess we are.
Lafayette was 19?! Damn! I remember reading about the French showing up to save America in history class as a kid it was like a movie I couldn't wait to hear what happened next even though I knew we won we barely did!
I understand our country has blemishes throughout its history (to be honest, so do other sovereign nations) but it's the stories like these that make me proud to be an American!
I’ve always enjoyed learning American history, but I love musicals too.I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that Hamilton the musical makes the Biographic more engaging.
It CANNOT be overstated how crucial and game changing Washington’s refusal of power was. It is perhaps the greatest reason for America’s persistence and prosperity as a free nation. Washington was 1) more than talented enough to seize and hold power, and 2) incomprehensible loved and popular. In all of world history, for someone to have both those things, and truly, genuinely, NOT desire and grow their own power is unheard of.
When a man leads your army to victory, refuses to accept a coronation, is humble enough to relieve power and tells you he thinks political parties are a bad idea….you should listen to him. God bless Washington, what an absolute unit.
Fun fact: Washington was also impossible to kill. The man in his lifetime had tuberculosis, dysentery, pneumonia, malaria, smallpox, and diphtheria which were usually lethal at the time. The discomfort from dysentery made him sit taller on his horse. He trotted 30 yards away from the British at Princeton and had to be pulled away. It was so cold crossing the Delaware that the river was mostly frozen and 2 soldiers who crossed were found frozen on the road next morning. He had 2 horses shot out from under him at Pittsburgh, and discovered after the battle that he had 4 bullet holes in his coat. The man is a legend.
Um
*Almost impossible to kill
And finally it was the doctors who killed him. Figures.
Yet the literal doctors were the ones that killed him. Funny how avoidable his death truely was...
@Gawani Mateus A very dark time indeed. Canada's atrocities continued well into the late 20th century with the residential schools. When I went to high school it was never taught. The governments preferred to sweep it under the rug but at least there is more awareness today. While our current Prime Minister apologized, it was given with shallow promises. He would rather give billions of money away to his buddies, people that don't want to work, Chinese companies, the Clinton foundation & international countries than give clean water to indigenous communities. All while having a stupid smirk on his face.
A man who is given absolute power but turns it down is worthy of Legend.
Legend ? For enslaving people? No no sir
Absolute power over slaves? Doesn’t sound like he turned that down.
@@bigtex1238 Well he was a democrat. What do you expect? But that was the time. (thank God the republican party came to be and ended slavery.) If you were dumb, you were a slave. The people of India developed yoga to show the British they were not dumb and hence were not enslaved.
@@lostintime8651 ehhh sorry brother but I disagree . I respect your opinion though ofc
Marcos Chavero well yes slavery was bad but that was the time period if you judge people by modern standards they will almost always look bad
what i liked about washington was how he seemed so aware of how history would view him and the office of president after his time.
As a certain someone wrote: Who live, who dies, who tells your story.
Idk if history but white Europeans yes
He was extremely self aware when it came to the position of president and that’s why he is respected despite the fact that he owned slaves.
Very true. A one of a kind man. It may be because there had been like 17 presidents before Washington
He knew history had its eyes on him
A thing I always admired about Washington was how he referred to his office as a servant's position, and how he referred to all elected officials as the servants of the people. Not leaders, we lead ourselves. Not those in charge, we rule ourselves. Our servants. Most politicians have utterly lost the thread of that narrative.
But then again, the Electoral College was built in so that the people are governed by what the electors thought who is best to represent them so...
@@axelpatrickb.pingol3228 ...so there's a check/balance on the *nationally leveraged* political power of the populace, as well. This is perfectly in line with our idea of a "law as supreme" republic, as the founders were highly distrustful of direct democracy.
@@jeremykiahsobyk102 That undermines YOUR comment that those in government are "servants" of the people. If the "servants" won't follow what its master (the people) believe in, can we ever say the government IS a servant or the people masters of themselves? There is the fault of logic in your original statement...
@@axelpatrickb.pingol3228 Think of the Constitution of establishing a "minarchist" government. The smaller the overall power is, and the more widely distributed, the better. The founders highly distrusted democracy and so wished to limit the ability of everyone to project political power into others' lives. A check on the direct power of the populace is perfectly in line with this idea, even though the electoral college has never directly upset the outcome of an election by "faithless" delegates defying the votes of their various state populations.
Additionally, the "servants of the people" are more accurately characterized as Legislators, which are directly elected by the populace. The electoral college is *only* used for federal presidential elections, not for legislators. The idea behind it is to put another layer of protection against a tyrant stepping into office.
@@jeremykiahsobyk102 In short, the President of the United States of America is NOT a servant of the People nor is anybody else excludingvthe legislators. Better change that OP comment of yours. It doesn't reflect your arguments you are making.
Despite his faults I still feel that Washington is morally superior to most people who would be in his time. He willingly gave up his power when many people wanted to make him king, and he even figured out a workaround so that his slaves could be freed after his death. The most annoying thing I find is that people look on the morality of past people through modern glasses, thinking if they lived back then that they would be morally superior to other people, not realizing that their morality is a product of hundreds of years of philosophical development on what it means to be moral.
Just compare Washington to the majority of revolutionary leader who became dictators: Napoleon, Lenin, Castro, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Mao, Stalin and many other people. I think this is enough of a positive legacy for George Washington.
God bless🙌
Ali Kian brilliant comment
At least for me I do recognize my morality in comparison to hundreds of years ago. I also recognize the morality of the time.
Plenty of past cultures had no slaves. Not to mention that no one ever really asks the slaves how they felt about being owned. Since so many ran away or committed suicide, I'd assume they weren't too fond of their station. Many people of the time realized slavery was wrong in the USA, along with other things that were technically legal but morally pretty terrible.
For instance - there were no real child abuse laws in the US until 1974. Up until the 30s, you could do just about anything to them, as they were legally the property of their fathers. Mary Ellen Wilson was either the first or one of the first child abuse cases actually prosecuted - in 1874. The ASPCA had to take her case - no one else would, and it was only picked up due to outrage. For whipping, burning, freezing, starving, cutting and effectively torturing a child for 8 years - the foster mother got...1 year. The foster father got nothing. It was another 60-ish years before mandatory reporting laws started popping up.
The 'morality of the time' argument shouldn't be thrown around so cavalierly. Not everyone felt certain things that were legal were moral, same as today. I accept the 'morality of the times' argument for things like the Celts drugging and burying children in peat bogs as a religious practice...stuff like that.
He was far from a perfect man. But he created the nation. And denied the opportunity to make himself a king. For that alone, he has my respect.
Actually Benjamin Franklin created the nation. He's the mastermind.
FErgersonn THE GREAT Considering how much time he wasted in France whoring and drinking kinda makes that less than acceptably true. I love me some Franklin, but he won no battles, served no greater purpose in the actual war than funding and helping ensure the death of a foreign monarch. Lol inadvertently of course, but hey. It happens. I’m just sayin, if you’re going to give him the credit for what he DID do then he ties with Jefferson and Adams in many respects and nothing can put one above the other in mere contributions to the cause, personal flaws and opinions completely aside.
FErgersonn THE GREAT also, George was the only man that could have held the army together. Benjamin was a genius and far smarter. But George was absolutely essential.
@@ladyphoenixgrey3923 France wouldn't have joined the war if not for Franklin. He was the most famous inventor at the time. George Washington almost made us lost the war.
@@alexheady7887 No George Washington wasn't. That is a blatant lie and you know it.
As with every founding father. Great Men arent always good men. Holding them to today's standards is also unrealistic. They did great things that give us what we have even today.
Which is a fair perspective although I'd argue that the negative opinions people have developed especially in recent years comes from a reaction to the whitewashed and fetishized portrayal of the founders as perfect pillars of intellect and morality. In reality even as revolutionaries they were revolutionaries in their time and as such had a number of logical and moral fallacies in their ideas that should be acknowledged.
For their time they were forward thinking. They went against the thinking of many around them every step of the way. Its not really whitewashed when they were all white though. I don't think that word is applicable here.
@@ronsorage78 whitewashing can mean to exonerate and ignore flaws and moral failings, it's not just a phrase to get rid of non white people. Yes like I said they were revolutionaries of their time but they shouldn't be portrayed as perfect either as is done often it seems in American history. They had moral hypocrisy, failures, were sometimes elitists and some committed morally reprehensible actions regardless of time period. The good and the bad should be balanced because otherwise people can use the false moral purity of America to justify monstrous actions and ignore the countries own flaws.
Well there is already plenty of false moral purity going on today and if they had been seen as morally superior throughout time we wouldn't know their failings currently. All of them have been well documented and used against each other. How people choose to see them is another story and isn't really something others control. That isn't a failing of historical accounts though.
@@ronsorage78 wasn't accusing historians of failing I'm talking more of cultural depictions and mythologizing the founders. I'm glad that perspective seems to be falling out of favour in recent generations looking at people like the founding fathers, christopher columbus or from my own perspective Irish nationalists like Patrick Pearce in a more objective lense because I do consider it a dangerous thing to remove moral failings from your countries figures.
Humble, honorable, and self-aware. The father of the United States!
When napoleon bonaparte was exiled out of France after his attempts at empire came to an end, he regrettably said, "they wanted me to be another Washington"
I’m not American but this man is awesome
Only God is awesome.
@@kevinsedwards There should be no civil penalties for using the word, "awesome", any way you wish.
I'm only expressing my understanding of the meaning of the word and why I avoid using it to refer to anything or everything about which I wish to express admiration.
@@rogermetzger7335what a terrible comment
Washington the man is far more interesting than Washington the legend. His flaws make his accomplishments all the more impressive to me.
Agreed, he failed a lot before he ever became the general leading the charge against the lobster backs, and even then he always acknowledged his flaws.
Always the case.
@@bearatdusk8013 mmmm lobster
Man was a monster
@@iceywolf1 wdym
Advisor: Your majesty, would you prefer a crown with blue gems or red ones?
Washington: I'm no king.
Advisor: But you overthrew our old king...
Washington: Yes but I'm going to form a republic and be a president.
Advisor: So a presidential crown?
Washington: No crown.
Hey that’s probably really accurate
Honestly given the times, his decision to not be the king of America was questionable. He was advocating for a system that wasn't really tested.
@@timothypaulino8454 that's why it's called the American experiment
The one thing that Washington did that was considered amazing at the time, when his term of office was over, he left. He could’ve been a king but he chose not to. That wasn’t a thing back in the day, people that had power back then you know like Napoleon, didn’t give it up. It will be interesting to see if Simon mentions that fact in this retelling of history.🌲🌲🌲
I really like Simon and all I follow all of the channels that he is on but I have to admit this channel is a little biased against American sometimes
Well said. Despite his flaws, this is what will always cement him as a hero to me.
lol, I actually just posted a comments similar to this one
Speaking as a Texan, our country is rotten to the core. We have been a true villain on the world stage since the end of WWII. I am deeply ashamed to call myself American, and I cannot wait to watch this evil empire crumble under it's own stupidity.
@@trblessed1020 When America gets impartial treatment it comes off pretty bad...its not anti-American bias, it's just flat out straight forward without trying to make excuses or put a positive spin on things.
"...what he was is uniquely American."
Well said Simon
but what he really said would of been like,
"Oi m8 come here m8, wanna cuppatea and sum biscits"
@@Spacebug111 lame
But he was English
@@sniperreddragon2782 No
@@balabanasireti what no he was white
George Washington was a master at not being perfect, but he carried the entire early states on his shoulders...
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I find it interesting that our "father" of this country did not like the idea of separate political partys. Probably saw then how much more chaos that would be.
When he had the hindsight of looking at the British Parliament's Whig and Tory parties. Though he needs to understand that factions WILL exist regardless...
It’s impossible to not have a party system is the sad thing. There will always be two sides
@@trexasaurus5322 true
It’s even amazing to hear about his war strategies. The man literally knew exactly how his enemies were going to think, and usually lost due to unfair circumstances like his own troops getting drunk or falling back due to cowardice. It’s amazing how much of an absolute genius Washington is
@@trexasaurus5322 You're right, we can never eliminate parties, but if we eliminate first past the post voting and the electoral college we can have more than 2 sides.
A President who didn't want to be a dictator. How refreshing.
Jo Jorgensen 2020
How could he all your founding fathers were slave owners George Washington's slaves ran away from his plantations because he treated them so brutely all of them were members of secret societies Ben Franklin was a member of the freeking hell fire club who were known to practice satanic human sacrifice people who have ultimate power will never do what's best for the average person none of us matter to them same is said of people in power today sadly
@@end0skeleton404
Ron Swanson 2020 haha
@Christopher Harper Digicash and destroy all his gas-guzzling SUV. Oh. Different times but still a mistake. Chris, please let me know when you are perfect.
@@welshman8954 citations needed.
8:20 - ’’The Continental army placed cannons on the high ground’’
Obi Wan Kenobi: has enterd the chat
Hello there.
@@SuperFlower323 General kenobi
Carly You are a bold one
"It's over Howe, I have the high ground!" George Washington
Aniken Skywalker has left the chat*
The man, the myth, the legend, George Washington.
I see you are an Oversimplified man of culture as well, shall we party while the peasants are breaking their backs in the fields?
@@kronosomni2805 haha, I didn't think anybody would find the reference this obscure, but shall we party french or russian style
@@bigheadj.r.628 Both, and while we do it, why don't we implement some more taxes on the poor?
@@kronosomni2805 or we can do a sexy calendar shoot 😳 uh I mean... Tax the poor😔
@@bigheadj.r.628 Don't make me get Lenin out of the closet to dis your taste in Care Bears.
He was, what I consider, to be a great man. I feel his well-recorded attempts to not become the center of the universe for the country, while still sacrificing so much to get to that point proves his greatness, that he truly believed in the righteousness of the cause, the idea of the United States of America.
And now he's rolling in his grave watching our country go up in flames of idiocy
Fr though man, it's sad how bad the country is atm.
Thanks to liberals!
Yup. And how his race that built this country gave it away and is going to become a minority in it.
But our founding fathers protected us hundreds of years before and the laws the put in place still give us freedom other countries can’t imagine . 1st 2nd and 4th admendment are as important now as ever was before
The Bowser administration in DC put forward a radical proposal to move the Washington monument, or add some display with 'context' concerning G.W. conforming to the 1619 Project. These people are crazy.
“‘‘Tis well. I die hard, but I am not afraid to go.”-George’s last words, spoken to Martha with difficulty (due to his swollen tongue) on Dec 14, 1799.
The "No cherry trees were harmed in the making of this video" in your description got a good chuckle out of me. Well done, Simon.
My 5x Great Grandfather was a Hessian soldier captured by Washington on December 26, 1776 in Trenton, NJ. He was sold to the Brits to fight the war. The Hessians were taken to Carlisle Barracks in PA where they were forced into slave labor. After the war he was given land by William Pitt in Soutwest Pennsylvania where many of my cousins still live today. Wonder what would have happened they never been captured. Happy Constitution Day.
I read in a biography of the Marquise Lafayette: A large number of Hessian prisoners were kept in Virginia what is now called Fredericksburg. After taking an oath not to fight against the Americans, the Hessian soldiers married local women, started families, set up farms and stores, etc. [during the span of the war]. When the British came through on their way to Yorktown, and tried to 'free the Hessians,' they refused to go with the British troops. They seemed to settle in and adapted to their new life in America well. In a sense, they were free.
You would be speaking German
Yea you’d be in Germany or not exist at all lol
@Sarkozy hahaha
@@kathleenking3955 They definitely weren’t free in Hesse-Kassel where they came from. Most of the revenue from Hesse-Kassel came from selling soldiers to foreign governments.
I love that even as a Brit this guy respects George Washington
We're not going to get salty about a war that happened almost 250 years ago. I'm a Brit and Washington is one of my heroes simply because of the sheer amount of adversity he had to overcome, mentally and physically.
@@Jim90117 well thank you
I love that the UK are good friends today. Personally, my study of the American Revolution, and of George III, seems to indicate that the American colonies were very well off and well treated by the Crown. George was a pretty good guy, who loved the farming life and understood common people, whom he preferred over the pomp and intrigue of the Court.
I think there are many more serious reasons for revolution today, than then. Hey! FBI! You guys getting all this this?
Well you better not, america saved your ass in 2 world wars. Show some respect
@@renegade5872 yeah and we gave you plenty: money, inventions, etc etc etc
We celebrate him for giving up power not taking power.
He wasn't a perfect man,but that is why we should remember him. He never tried to be anything other than what he believed this country needed. If he could speak today he would tell those that disgrace themselves in office that the ones who deserve power are the ones who never use it for their own gain.
"My first wish is to see this plague of UA-cam , video demonetisation, banished from the Earth"
- George Washington
"Also, Facebook should be abolished by law and decree..and then burned to the ground." - Abe Lincoln
-Albert Einstein
@@doggedout why?
Lol
@@PSYCHOSAXE - Michael Scott
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”
“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.”
- George Washington
I absolutely love George Washington, he could've easily became king but he turned down the absolute power. That alone makes me admire him! He did own slaves and that's very unfortunate but he was a product of his time.
My grandad taught me about Washington when I was a kid. I'm 51 and grew up in the Industrial West Midlands in England.
I've always thought that most Britons living as colonists under those circumstances would've done the same. George Washington was always a man to admire and respect in our household.
That's debatable. British colonialists and settlers in New England, Virginia, Pennsylvania, presumably were inclined and pushed to do something about taxes that were cutting into their vast profits. Colonialists in the many of the future founding States perhaps were comfortable with the Status Quo and there is no doubt that there were British settlers and Colonialists who fought for the British Armies at the time.
In any case, the myth of Washington fed directly into American Identity since 1783. The vast American Project (national and overseas) that followed into the period of 1800-1900 certainly expanded the United States far West to the Pacific and culminated by the end of 1945, the territory of the Philippines. So from the original 13 Colonies, the expansion Pack included the absorption of territory and people. An interesting foreign policy that copied elements of colonialism and subjugation into its template.
I will not stop asking. Please make more videos covering the people in the American Civil War, for example;
Thomas Jackson, better known as Stonewall
General William T. Sherman, who I really couldnt say anything about without someone getting pissed
Confederate President Jefferson Davies
Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the first African-American Regiment in the Civil War
Ulysses S. Grant, who needs no introduction
Etc.
I just wish there were more videos that tackled the people in the Civil War on your channel
I agree.. and has he done a video on Andrew Jackson I forget.. but plenty awesome American hero’s, some who’s numbers during battles were as surprising as the mythological 300 Spartans the battle happened but not with just 300 Spartans America on the other hand has victories not many countries have the pleasure to claim .. battle of New Orleans , battles between Washington and redcoats such as battle of Brooklyn etc . Americans resilience and fighting spirit shall not be forgotten or walked on by the powers that be .
Agreed friend, you are not alone. I would also like vids on Grant, Stonewall Jackson, Meade, Buford, Nathan Bedford Forrest, etc
Think it would be better to keep the civil war bios on the AMERICANS and not the traitors(IMO). As soon as the seceded they stopped being Americans and became Confederates. Besides I feel its far more important to know the bad parts of the American leadership rather then Confederates as those are far more well known. To know the good parts all one has to do is open a textbook and filter out the lies.
I'll let you finish, but Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the greatest figure from the Civil War. Whipped those desterters into shape, crushed it in Fredericksburg, fixed the hell out of those bayonets and swung on down round top. Man was a G. D. Legend. And he was a teacher. Respect the stache.
randy tessman shut up with your nonsense . Regurgitating history written by the same people who keep us in this perpetual state of war . The south were fighting against being pimped out by the feds over states rights the same as AMERICA did against the British before you call the original colonies traitors too against the British ? Learn history sheep.
Part of Washington's genius was his ability to see the talents in others and to place them in positions to use those talents. This was true in both his military and political career. He is a leader to be admired.
They begged him and he accepted the 2nd term. When they tried to beg him for a 3rd term he noped his way right out of there.
Can we request for a Lafayette episode ?
I agree. Very interesting guy.
Belive it or not he was very sassy in real life as well. George didn't swear much, but when he did cuss out one charles Lee Lafayette said "I have never seen such great swearing"
Yes.
Favorite fact about Lafayette is that he was buried in France with American soil. Had he been alive today I think he would hold dual citizenship.
Wish granted.
The pride of mount Vernon! The venerated Virginian veteran, Geooooooooorge Washington!
I was just wondering where all the Hamilfans were! Turns out Hamilton taught me more than I realised, I knew about half of what came up in this video and I've never studied it 😂
Oh yes, huge hamiphile! ❤
Washington's presidency is often not talked about beyond precedents he set, but one thing I feel is important to note:
Washington was regularly criticized by the media at the time, although they hesitated to attack him directly because of how revered he was. He was far from a perfect executive as is, but some went so far as to create fake documents.
Washington hated this, but when he did something about it he chose the way of the pen and not the way of the king, opting to be more critical rather than trying to shut them down altogether. He firmly believed in the importance of the first amendment right to free speech even it was at times to his personal detriment. Which if you ask me is pretty cool.
Next video: "How the British teach the American Revolutionary War".
Not all british feel butthurt about the revolutionary war, in fact some like me support the Americans especially since George Washington is my 11th cousin 9 times removed.
The United Kingdom sounds like you’re closely related enough to him to be picked for president lol
Barely at all. “After years of war our first colony broke away and that’s why we have those annoying tourists that we squeeze for every £ they’re worth”
That’s what I imagine history classes in the UK would teach about it.
@@matthewct8167 Can't we all just get along
Francisco Vasquez of course we can but it is more fun to pretend that we don’t.
1:35 - Chapter 1 - Early life
2:45 - Chapter 2 - Early military career
5:55 - Chapter 3 - Road to revolution
7:50 - Chapter 4 - The thrill of victory & the agony of death
10:15 - Chapter 5 - The crossing of the delaware
11:25 - Chapter 6 - The war turns
13:15 - Chapter 7 - Valley forge to the end of the war
16:05 - Chapter 8 - Mr President
18:40 - Chapter 9 - Last days
Simon, you really did right by George Washington with this video, you paid him the respect he was due. Thank you.
Hi Melissa! How are you doing? I hope you are fine and staying safe?
@@prestonsmith9824 i have covid. It sucks but i will survive
We need one on Alexander Hamilton and Marquis de Lafayette please!
According to the Hamilton play, they are some of the best rappers of their day.
Imagine a stateman that fought, risked his life, suffered years of turmoil against the odds, saw his friends die, witnessed true betrayal and then still turned down power. I feel like he is the antithesis of the modern american/western politician. We need more Washington types today badly.
I don't know who made Washington monument but it doesn't resemble him one bit.
Well.. Washington was tall. That parts right
Its not his face that is being imitated its his ginormous wang
It’s supposed to look like the number 1 for first President .
@@AltamaLFG I-
He had a statue actually modeled after the one in Olimpia Greece of the King of the Gods Zeus. However since he was half naked in front the Capitol building the puritans would eventually lose their collective minds over it and replaced it with an Obelisk.
Yeah, people are never perfect.
But who else did what he did ?
Indeed.
Probably the greatest leader since king Leonidas. The Spartan king that sacrificed himself to save his country.
Hey I know no one is going to read this but o feel like it needs to be heard regardless, that small smallpox bout that George Washington dealt with as a young man is often thought to have influenced him later in life, especially during the Revolutionary war. You see George Washington, having gone through the awful disease so early in his life, was able to physically grasp what Smallpox could do to an army, putting it out of commission for months on end at best and killing several troops at worst.
That is believed why he retreated from several battles he was winning, because the British were all inoculated against Smallpox, while the Americans (especially those in the New England and Southern Colonies, though the middle colonies faired better) were new to inoculate, and thus had not been exposed to smallpox. This along with him urging his troops to get inoculated is thought to be how he helped win the war.
If your looking for my sources I got it from a book called Pox Americana, the great Smallpox epidemic of 1775-1782. It goes into great detail on how smallpox spread through the late 18th century North America, not just Colonial America, but Canada and New Spain and Russian Alaska as well. Very good read I would highly recommend.
Garrett Allen I had no idea about this. Fascinating information. As an avid reader, this book is now on my list to order. Thanks for sharing.
Dee Marie Dubois your welcome, glad I could help!
Fascinating take on Washington's tactics..
Can you imagine being offered the position of king and saying “Nah”? I don’t know if I would have had that kind of humility.
Probably the only man ever who held ultimate power in a country twice and voluntarily hand it back both times.
Greatest man of all time. No questions asked.
Well. Jesus. Einstein. Buddha. Newton.
Its 250 years since Beethoven was born. A video about him would be Great👌🏻
I'm up for it.
My unfortunate compulsion to internally screech Hamilton lyrics aside, it genuinely makes me so happy to get videos that encompass all facets of a man like Washington. I’ve loved the American Revolution since I was little, and even though as I’ve grown up and learned more as certain parts of the history became more age appropriate I’ve obviously come to know the darker sides of the story and am fully aware it wasn’t the fun ‘Americans did no wrong’ that you start out learning, I still believe that will all the good and the bad, the American Revolution and George Washington remain one of the most interesting and inspiring tales of fortitude in written history. Note, I’m not trying to lessen the impact and importance of any other country’s history, I guess I just really get hyped at the big picture of the Revolution.
When I visited Gettysburg, Washington's coach was on display. It had some faded gold lettering on it in a language unfamiliar to me. I asked the docent whether she could translate it. She translated it as, "By the end is the means justified."
That, by itself, would be evidence for me to think that Washington hated revolution and he hated war. He was willing to participate in such things only because he considered them to be necessary evils.
My parents encourage my sibling and me to admire several historical figures but they didn't encourage us to idolize any but one - and it wasn't Washington.
What we celebrate on Independence Day is not so much a place as an idea - the idea that ordinary people don’t need royalty or aristocracy or clergy to tell us what to believe and what to do and not do.
When thirteen colonies in North America declared independence from Great Britain, there were hardly any other countries in the world whose citizens enjoyed greater freedom than the citizens of Great Britain. Not only that, but people who lived in the British Isles (at least many of them) were represented in Parliament in such a way that the king was, yes, a “monarch” with great power and influence but even that power and influence was not absolute.
Not only did the colonists resent taxation without representation, some of those colonists envisioned “a country without a king and a church without a pope”.
If young people are “embarrassed” that the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence have not been fully realized or that there are still some citizens of the United States who haven’t been able to fully participate in the “government of the people, by the people and for the people”, why on Earth don’t they - or whoever is paying their college tuition - demand that they be taught how to participate in the political process in constructive ways with the goal of increasing freedom for U.S. citizens who they think should have more freedom than they have now?
Our parents taught my siblings and me that we have no right to complain about a problem unless we have ideas about how to solve the problem.
If someone were to ask me, “Are you proud to be an American?” I’d be more likely to answer: “No. But instead of complaining, I’d rather do the hard work of actually thinking about ways to solve problems and then working to ensure that my suggestions are adequately represented in the marketplace of ideas.”
Many of the young people in the United States right now seem to actually want the president or Congress to tell other people what to believe and what do do and not do - not realizing that their own liberty depends on whether they - or other people better than themselves - are willing to work for the liberty of even people with whom they disagree.
Fun Fact: You can still be NJP'd for defacing currency, under the UCMJ. Washington doesn't appreciate the mustache.
Baba Ayman UCMJ applies to Active Duty & Reservist or any civilian on any military base, ship, aircraft or vehicle.
Crayons are for eating, not vandalizing
@@fchanMSI ucmj doesn't apply to civilians in a criminal sense.
Mike J it can if that civilian is employed by the DOD.
Never did I think in my days as an American that I’d hear one of the best biographies of Washington from a Redback
"they started calling themselves Patriots" i almost started crying. we are so lucky in this country.
The ones calling themselves Patriots, now are not patriots, not one of them was willing to give his life for the country!
@@frostfirei Not one of then was willing to give his life for the country? So you know as a FACT that NOBODY who calls themself a patriot today was ever in the military?
Probably one of the most important people in world history. A myth among legends.
Definitely one of the greatest freedom fighters in history (up with Bolivar and a few others). And unlike men such as Lenin, Mao, Robespierre, Cromwell and Marshal Tito, Washington did NOT become the villain as its first official leader, refused tyranny, and died an even greater hero. One of the most remarkable political figures the modern world has ever seen (reportedly, even George III and Napoleon were both astonished by him, and it's understable why).
I'm sure he would be disgusted by the state of our union with our political parties waring with each other
Do a biography on Simon Whistler
Wouldn't that be something? I think thats a different term though. Autobiography?
Next time he reaches a sub count milestone we should try to do research and make one about him
I think he should do a biography on Whistler's Mother!
Washington married martha...
Batman: WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT NAME!!?!!?
Superman: SAME
You can't judge a person in the past by the modern standards. He was a great leader. Respect to him.
One thing to note, his adolescent academic home schooling was relatively great, but he along with Ben Franklin are some of the rare few in the early republic elite that didn't go to university.
An obvious advantage for them. It seems now that qualification beats education in comparison.
I just finished watching Hamilton, and this is what I wanted! So timely. Thanks!
13:31 Everyone give it up for America's favourite fighting Frenchman!
Seriously though, you need to do a video on Lafayette, hero of TWO revolutions
How about doing the Marquis de la Fayette and Baron von Steuben?
I love the videos of US presidents. Would love to see more of them. A few suggestions are Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Abe Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson
JFK made this comment when he had a number of Nobel Prize winners to the White House for a dinner: "The last time thee was this much intelligence in this room was when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
Honestly he deserves some admiration for consistently being reluctant to hold power and for putting his foot down and stepping down after only 8 years in office
The reason Washington will always be remembered as the best president is simple - he set the tone for every president to follow... Washington returned to civilian life after serving as president with no issues or problems. Every president since Washington has upheld this tradition with honor. And that one act has made him the best American President.
Make that "every president but one." (And I don't mean FDR and the "two terms" thing).
@@jamesclendon4811 I understand your point but since that debacle might be months away, it hasn't happened yet.
"Yet" being the key word.
A few fun facts: Washington has a distillery on Mount Vernon, which a few years ago Budweiser made a beer according to one of Washington's recipes... One of his lesser known nicknames was "Three Bottle Washington" because he could finish three fifths of whiskey without blacking out.... He also grew hemp on his plantation... They said you did not want to get on his bad side, as he had quite the temper on him... And as per his final instructions, "do not bury me less than three days after I am dead," was due to his fear of being buried alive
A lot of people judge Washington's military career by the battles he fought, and he did lose most of his battles and he did make strategic and tactical mistakes, however all generals, no matter their fame or caliber, have made mistakes and lost battles. Washington isn't considered a great military leader because he won many battles. He is considered a great military leader because he lead an unorganized, under-trained, under-strength, under-equipped, barely held coherent and brand new army together for SIX YEARS against a much larger, established, and capable force. One of the largest military empires on earth. Sure the British were "fighting away from home", but they almost always fought away from home, and their might was never questioned in any of their colonial conquests or European wars. Even if there was not such a tremendous adversary, just the capability to build and maintain an army from scratch is the marking of a great leader. The logistics, planning, organization, motivation, and training of any new command is difficult, and Washington managed to make due while in the middle of a conflict and with limited support and resources. He did have the aid of other great leaders of the early US Army such as Von Stuben and Gates who he could not have achieved this without, but also I don't believe any other single person supporting the American Revolution could have replaced Washington. He was the right man at the right time.
'congress passed an amendment" is not quite accurate, in that after it is approved by congess it had to be approved/ratified by the states.
@@odysseus9672 it supersedes OTHER Federal law might be more accurate.
Wasn't it confirmed in the 80s? As trump seems to be pushing for a third term as a right. Sounds ridiculous he would the one to try topple the republic
Correct. In order to be ratified to the Constitution 2/3 of State Legislators have to approve it.
@@fuzzyhair321 no Trump made a joke about it but he's not pushing for the Constitution to amended.
@@theroachden6195 that's a pretty stupid joke though. Means nothing he says is serious which is also another problem lol
In my whole family tree I only have one great grandfather that fought in the revolutionary war. He escaped twice as an indentured servant to the Pennsylvania Governer he was a POW from Austria. The second time he escaped he heard of Washington stationed at Valley Forge headed there and told them of his experience as a soldier, his current status (escaped servant to british governor) and was enlisted to the continental army. He lived a free man after the war was over, had a family hence I'm here today.
Love the part where he explains that Washington was eight foot seven and weighted a metric ton
Exactly, and how the Brits couldn't carry his jock strap!
dumb
He also shot fireballs out of his arse, which regularly scattered the British lines in battle
He'll save children, but not the British children
Look up "Washington Song" on UA-cam to see a video demonstrating America's over-exaggerated myths of George Washington (not really, but it IS funny).
I wish I had a time machine, I would've loved to see George Washington while he was president
Was waiting for this! Maybe a bio on Hamilton and Jefferson? And other major military figures of the world like Ieyasu Tokugawa or Oda Nobunaga?
13:30 Give it up for America's favorite fighting Frenchman!
You can’t judge a man by modern standards. Yes he owned hundreds of slaves and refused to free them while he was writing his hemp paper about liberty, and sure he had his slaves’ teeth ripped out so that he could wear them in his own mouth but that’s just what people did then. You can’t judge a man for wanting the nice teeth of his animals for himself. He’s still a great man 😂
What made me admire Washington was he wanted to retire after the Revolution(which George III allegedly said Washington would be the "Greatest Man" if he did that), didn't want to be President but did it anyway, ability to see talented men like Nathanael Green and Alexander Hamilton, hated politics and warned people about it in his farewell speech, and he freed his slaves unlike his successors.
here comes the General!! Ladies and Gentlemen!! Here comes the General!! the moment you've been waiting for, here comes the General, the pride of Mount Vernon, Here Comes the General George Washington!!!
God Bless George Washington, and God Bless The United States of America
Scr3aming3agle God bless other countries too.
@@j.a.weishaupt1748 this video is about the US and George Washington, so stop it
Scr3aming3agle Sorry. God bless you too. And me. And other people.
@@j.a.weishaupt1748 I agree with both of you🙂
I've been a student of the life and times of George Washington since 2001, including his role in starting the French & Indian War/"Seven Years War" throughout the rest of his life, and the key alliance with his "Right-Hand Man," Alexander Hamilton in founding the American Republic as we know it. You did a great job with the high points of the GW Story. Would love to see your take on Hamilton's role, and their indispensable relationship...
Amazing President and God was surely Protecting him during those intense battles.
Anyone else besides me pinpoint Hamilton songs to events throughout the whole video? 😂😂😂
Hi Deanna! How are you doing? I hope you are fine and staying safe?
That sexy feeling once your phone notifies you that Biographics uploaded a video, but it's crazier cuz issa Papa Washington this time!
George Washington is one of the only men in history who’s life not only lives up to his legend but exceeds it. Even his flaws show not only what a great man he was but also how he did it as a real man, a real person, and a real soul. Something I’ve found incredibly interesting is the amount of regret and thought he put into his decisions before and after his public life, this shows how he was just like every other man but still managed to be greater than life
Meh, he was a traitor.
He’s only really lives up to the legend from the American POV
Been asking for this episode for years honestly amazed you didn't do a episode on the man earlier. If you're a American hes a absolute legend.
Ladies and gentlemen
The moment you've been waiting for
The pride of Mount Vernon
George Washington!
Washington agreed to serve as commander of the Continental Army for no pay, just his expenses covered by the Government.
At the end of the war when he submitted his expense report to the government, auditors found that he had made a mistake. Four cents in favor of the Government.
An honest man.
The indispensable man.
It’s interesting how this video attempts to more greatly humanize Washington with more historical accuracy, but ultimately it made me appreciate my favorite president way more than I previously did.
I agree, it's far better to reveal the faults of a man to help humanize him
I respect MLK jr more knowing that he struggled with adultery all his life despite him claiming to be a man of God and also his unknowingly use of plagerism on his theological dissertation
And I also respect Mandela more because he suffered consequences for having advocated for the use of scumbag terror tactics such as child soldiers in resisting the S. African regime
And yet once he got out of prison he rescinded his support for such tactics and helped bridge the gap as best he could between the two groups w/o violence
Presenting these faults helps with the idea that men even good ones, can struggle. It the dumbfuks that think 1 fault is more than enough to simply erase all the success they gained in their life
Well done - a perfect introduction for kids virtual learning about Washington - sets up discussions for further learning about the most honorable person America was given
I highly recommend the book by Glenn Beck "Becoming George Washington ". A well written book that details the person and character of Washington. If we had such men of character today, we might not be in the mess we are.
Lafayette was 19?! Damn! I remember reading about the French showing up to save America in history class as a kid it was like a movie I couldn't wait to hear what happened next even though I knew we won we barely did!
I understand our country has blemishes throughout its history (to be honest, so do other sovereign nations) but it's the stories like these that make me proud to be an American!
Agreed the founding of any nation is written in blood
From the US, thank you for doing this.
I’ve always enjoyed learning American history, but I love musicals too.I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that Hamilton the musical makes the Biographic more engaging.
My 5th great grandfather was in the continental army and fought under General Greene at Eutaw Springs in 1781.
Thank you for informing us with these consistently illuminating biographies. 😊
It CANNOT be overstated how crucial and game changing Washington’s refusal of power was. It is perhaps the greatest reason for America’s persistence and prosperity as a free nation. Washington was 1) more than talented enough to seize and hold power, and 2) incomprehensible loved and popular. In all of world history, for someone to have both those things, and truly, genuinely, NOT desire and grow their own power is unheard of.
He was the model of modern major general
When a man leads your army to victory, refuses to accept a coronation, is humble enough to relieve power and tells you he thinks political parties are a bad idea….you should listen to him. God bless Washington, what an absolute unit.
I’m team Thomas Jefferson honestly . I wish they would have listened to him .
Jefferson & Jackson (andy) were interesting complicated men
I don’t know of its only me who get Christmas Vibes of 1800s and under?
I actually suggested this several months back, thanks for uploading this.