George Washington

So that they could be seen in candle light.

In the US there is a Lexington in Kentucky and a Concord in New Hampshire.

Here is what I would tell the US Founding Fathers:

Dear Great Thinkers and Leaders of your day,

I recognize the tremendous moral outrage and moral purpose you felt with drafting our country's first 'rules'. You took what you thought was wrong about living under British rule, took ideas geared to the majority, and attempted to give US Citizens clear rights within their government. You placed the emphasis on God and fairness, as best you could envision it in your time.

I'm sorry to say, it would make you sick to see how many of your moral ideals have been trashed over the last 50-60 years. We have kids who parents still treat like possessions, like cattle, with some moms even trying to sell their babies for less than $50.00... it is no wonder children cannot feel self-respect, because we give children so little respect! Did you hear that Texas is now forcing students to wear tracking IDs, much like branding cattle---except even cattle get to wander over a wide range to graze and exercise! We don't treat our children and teens as precious human beings-- we treat them like livestock whom we have to 'track'.

And, children and teens don't value themselves either! Many would rather skip school than to get an education in a free land--- the USA that you, our Founding Fathers, made 'free'. School children don't understand just what a privilege education is or just how far an education can take them. They have no idea that our Founding Fathers were educated men, who studied by lamp light and made education a priority in their lives. How else could you, our Founding Fathers, write such a poetic narrative of specific rights for citizens, without being educated and thinking men!

Adults aren't much better, Sirs. We have the greatest technology today-- yet, unfortunately, we also have high illiteracy rates, high unemployment, and extreme cases of laziness. No, not everyone today is lazy, but many are and don't care about the rights of others in life. Many people feel "entitled", when none of us are entitled to anything---except the right to live in a democracy and to practice the rights hard won during the US Revolutionary War and before.

Your written document was intended to be a living, breathing example of how citizens could live within government, and government for the people. But your words have been dying out and many don't hear them (or don't pay attention to what they hear). Women have more rights today, and slavery was abolished... yet... still Blacks and Women of all races face discrimination.

And lastly, Sirs, we have become a nasty nation. People think nothing of being rude or hurtful to other people. They don't fight for a common good, like you each did, they just fight for themselves. People think nothing of "do to you first before you do something to me" -- even when no one is trying to hurt them. Yes, you fought-- but you fought for all of us, for generations and generations of people whom you would never, ever meet. You kept all of the future generations in mind as you penned your words by lamp light, and made hand copies of your words to pass along to common citizens.

Sirs, I'm glad you are not alive. You would see a very complex and difficult society, and a country which has lost its way. Hopefully, we won't go downhill much further.... if only we would re-read your words and take them to heart once again!

The Marquis de Lafayette was the French nobleman who joined Gen Washington's staff during the American Revolution, and in fact trained the Continental soldiers during their brutal winter at Valley Forge. He was already a skilled officer when he arrived, and did much to assist Washington in training his civilian-soldiers.

Late on January 2, 1777, George Washington fooled Cornwallis by setting out campfires causing General Cornwallis to believe that Washington and his troops were camping out there. Then Washington left his fires burning (with only three people there to tend to them)and slipped behind British lines to attack a British force that was marching towards Princeton. There the Continental Army of Washington won another victory, at Princeton which lifted the hopes of patriots a little and then even more at Trenton.

George Washington was the person elected to be president of the constitutional convention because he was the leader for almost everything involving the constitution.

The Greenback Party

This was an open letter by Washington t the US people and warned against political factions or parties and foreign alliances. regarded the state of the nation and announced his intention to retire from the Presidency

Marquis de La Fayette was the French officer on Washington's staff. He was just 20 years old when he took this position. He had great admiration for George Washington and even named his first born child after him.

George VI was King of United Kingdome and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth during WW2. He reigned from 11 December 1936 until his death on 6 February 1952. His name was Albert Frederick Arthur George.

Thomas Jefferson is actually the one who wrote the Declaration of Independence. It was written because the colonies felt King George III was abusing them.

George Washington played an extremely important role in the framing of the US Constitution, and he probably made some important suggestions for it to others during the recesses of the Constitutional Convention (May to September, 1787). But Washington was the President of the Convention, and he believed it was his job to remain impartial, not favoring any one side in the many arguments that arose during the Convention. Although he did not write the Constitution, he signed it to make it official. Moreover, when the framers were deciding just what the qualifications and powers of the President of the US should be, they seem to have patterned the office after the first person to hold it - George Washington. In fact, neither he nor Benjamin Franklin took direct part in the debates over the elements of the Constitution, but evidence strongly suggests that both men worked very hard behind the scenes to calm the furious tempers which erupted during the summer months of 1787 in Philadelphia, PA. Many of the ideas making up the Constitution were provided by James Madison, the 4th President of the US, and Gouveneur (his actual first name!) Morris of Pennsylvania is credited with providing most of the legal language we find in the document.

The weapon used by John Wilkes Booth to kill President Abraham Lincoln was a Philadelphia Derringer pistol/dagger. The weapon was a small sized pistol that could be concealed in a pocket.

The Federalist Party wanted a Constitution.

King George III was born in London at Norfolk House.

Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley

1754-1832

Camp Follower Soldier "Molly Pitcher" Early Life Mary Ludwig's father was named John George Ludwig. He was a dairy farmer. He had a farm near Trenton, New Jersey. Mary was born there on October 13, 1754. She lived with her parents and worked on the farm until she was fifteen years old.

Move to Carlisle When Mary was fifteen, her father found her a job. To do this job, she needed to move to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. This was more than 100 miles from home. Mary went to the home of Dr. William Irvine. She washed clothes, cleaned the house, and took care of the family's children. She sent money home to her parents.

Mary met a man named John Hays. He was a barber in Carlisle. They were married in July 1769.

Life During the War The Revolutionary War started in 1775. Many men joined the army. Mary's husband joined the army in December 1775. He joined again in January 1777. He joined the Artillery. His job was to work with the cannons.

Mary decided to go with her husband. She became a camp follower. She was one of the people who followed behind a group of soldiers. Mary helped with cooking and washing clothes. She took care of people who were sick or hurt.

The Battle of Monmouth The British held the city of Philadelphia. In 1778 they decided to retreat to New York City. General Washington sent troops after them. John's regiment was sent to Freehold, New Jersey. They fought the British there.

It was a very hot day. Mary carried water to the thirsty men. She carried it in a pitcher. Soon the men called to her for water. They called her "Molly Pitcher." John was so hot that he collapsed. Mary stopped carrying water. She took over her husband's cannon. She loaded and fired it for the rest of the battle.

Mary was wearing a long dress. A cannonball shot off the bottom of her petticoat. Mary was not hurt.

Some people say that George Washington saw Mary at the cannon. He may have thanked her after the battle. Some sources say that he made her a sergeant. We do not know if this is true.

John Hays did not die. After the battle he rested and got better.

After the War When the war was over, Mary and her husband went home to Carlisle. In 1783 Mary had a baby boy. They named him John L. Hays. Mary's husband died when the boy was five. Later Mary got married again. She married John McCauley. He had also been a soldier. The new marriage was not a happy one. John McCauley died in 1813.

What Mary Was Like Mary was a short woman. She often wore a white dress. Over this she wore a striped skirt. This skirt was split in the middle, and pulled to either side. She wore a white frilled cap. Mary had learned to swear in the army. Sometimes she used bad language. Sometimes she said what she thought in a blunt way.

Working Life Mary worked as a servant for most of her life. She worked for a number of families. One of them was the Miles family. She took care of their two sons. She nursed Mrs. Miles until her death in 1822. Mary loved children. She was a kind, careful nurse.

A Pension for Mary Many soldiers had died in the war. Their widows did not have much money. The government gave them money, called a pension. This money was to help them live. Mary asked for a pension. She deserved one, because her husbands had been soldiers. When she got her pension, it was given to her for her own work. The act said "For the relief of Molly McKolly for her services during the Revolutionary War."

Later Life Mary lived with her son John when she was old. John and his wife Elizabeth had seven children. Mary must have enjoyed them. She died on January 22, 1832. She was 79 years old. She is buried in Carlisle.

Where we see her name today Mary's tombstone is in the Old Graveyard in Carlisle.

There is a monument in Monmouth, New Jersey. On its side is a picture of Mary.

Because he believed that if our nation would survive then we would need a strong government and the government needed rules to go by or they would basically monarch us. On September 14, 1786 Alexander Hamilton wrote the call for the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to be held in May of 1787. George Washington was unanimously chosen to preside over the convention. Although he rarely spoke during the four month convention, his prestige gave it legitimacy. Also, after hours at the local taverns (visit City Tavern), Washington was very active in developing strategy behind the scenes. He had a major impact on the success of the Convention.

Forge, General Von Steuben , trained the American troops. The army was suffering from the cold weather and had no shoes so they had to rap clothes around there feet for a substitute at Valley Forge. Life was not easy at Valley Forge, as you can see.

Washington encouraged a hands off policy regarding American involvement in European affairs.

He had severe dementia as well as the deterioration or his sight and hearing. This left him somewhat insane and could not walk for the final weeks of his life. Guessing his body just gave up.

Not a nice way to go :/

The soldiers were often inexperienced or a complete novices to military and warfare tactics. The army struggled with lack of resources and ammunition in particular, due to the lack of a central government. The weather and climate were also an issue, this can be seen portrayed in the trials of Valley Forge where George Washington and the Continental Army endured a long and blistering winter. Lack of food, clothing, and the presence of a navy are added to the list of disadvantages.

George Washington served as General and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army for 8 years. He was appointed by the Continental Congress on June 15, 1775.

Washington was commander of the forces and commanders do not fight in battles. Instead they watch from a high point so they can tell officers what to do with the troops in the battle. Another reason is that no one wants the commander to get wounded or killed in a battle. They are needed and too important.

Jazz Artist George Benson had seven sons, but three sons died. * One by kidney failure * One by Crib Death * One by a gunshot injury caused in a bar fight

don't have political parties - causes sectionalism in the country

stay out of foreign affairs

do not have long term alliances, the first long term alliance that we have was NATO which we still have today