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Argumentative Essay On George Washington

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Washington was born February 11, 1731 in Virginia, which at that time was a British colony. According to the New World Encyclopedia, “Washington was the oldest child from his father’s second marriage. Washington had two older half-brothers: Lawrence and Augustine, Jr and four younger siblings: Betty, Samuel, John Augustine and Charles.” (2) Washington’s parents were of British descent and his father was a plantation owner, which included slaves. George’s youth was spent living at various properties in Virginia that the Washington family owned. It would have been common for families like the Washington’s to have tutors at home or have their children attend private school. Washington would have been educated in areas that a planter, or plantation owner, would need. Some of these areas of education would have been law, math, business and any other courses that would prepare him …show more content…

When his father died he inherited his first slaves. He continued to inherit, buy and sell slaves has he ran Mount Vernon and other property he would acquire. Henry Wiencek says in his article entitled “George Washington and Slavery” found in the Encyclopedia Virginia that Washington continued to acquire land and slaves. “His marriage in 1759 to Martha Dandridge Custis, the very wealthy widow of Daniel Parke Custis, vastly increased Washington’s income and labor force.” (?) George was a very successful southern gentleman who ran his plantations, properties and businesses the same as the Virginians around him. He understood that to be successful required the use of slave labor. “Though Washington came to question slavery and eventually freed his slaves, he was never a lenient manager.” Wiencek goes on to add, “He connected success of his farms with the productivity of his slaves and, because he was frequently away on public service, with the effective supervision of his managers and

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