1776

George Washington, a Virginian, was a self-made man, like so many men in the New World, and he was a born leader. What little military experience he had came from books. Prior to leading the Continental Army, he was a slave-owning planter—or he became one due to his marriage to Mary Washington Custis, a wealthy widow from Williamsburg. An orphan, his first real vocation was that of surveyor. For a man who navigated the privileged world with ease, Washington had remarkably little education. He was particularly interested in architecture and décor. As a general, Washington’s edge was largely that he studied his enemy carefully and did not make moves without careful consideration. Another of his strengths was finding reliable, talented, trustworthy men to help him strategize and plan.

King George is given a remarkable portrait in this text. His attitude toward the rebellious colonies is the first impression the reader gets. He treated them like schoolchildren who would earn a spanking if they did not correct their behavior and apologize. In discussing what was to be done about the rebellion with Parliament, George always emphasized that when the colonies come back into the fold, he would welcome them with open arms.