![California Standard 5.6.2 Describe the contributions of France and other nations and of individuals to the out-come of the Revolution (e.g., Benjamin Franklin's negotiations with the French, the French navy, the Treaty of Paris, The Netherlands, [MORE]](../../assets/standards/562.gif)
George Washington was born in 1732. He grew up in Virginia. Honesty and good behavior were important to him. He even copied 110 rules for "good behavior" into his school notebook. His honest nature would later inspire a fable about him. In this story, a young George Washington used his father's ax to chop down a cherry tree. His angry father asked George if he had chopped down the tree. The boy admitted the truth and said, "I cannot tell a lie!" This story is fiction, but Washington's honesty is fact.
Washington grew to be a man of strong character and build. The governor of Virginia put him in charge of the state's troops in the Seven Years War. Washington learned that he could inspire soldiers with his leadership.
Soon, the Colonies were at war with Great Britain. In 1776, Washington was elected Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. The Revolutionary War was a tough battle for the colonists. Often, soldiers lacked food or warm clothes. But they never lacked solid leadership in Washington. Soldiers trusted and followed Washington because they knew he was honest and brave. When the new nation needed a strong leader, the country found one in George Washington. Washington became the first President of the United States in 1789.
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