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George Washington Trivia

George Washington as president was neither a Republican nor a Democrat. He was a member of the Federalist Party.

George Washington’s annual salary as president was $25,000.

George Washington is one of the most famous Americans, yet had no formal education.

He was first inaugurated at the age of 57.

When George Washington was fourteen-years-old he was given a list of "110 rules"--rules to live by. They were originally thought to have been written in the year 1595 by French Jesuit priests. Washington wrote out each one and committed it to memory. These rules are timeless in their application and invaluable in their content. Click here to view George Washington's 110 Rules.

George Washington is the only president to be unanimously elected when he received all 69 electoral votes (1789).

George Washington was the only president to be inaugurated in two cities, our nation’s 1st capital, New York City, and our nation’s 2nd capital, Philadelphia.

Believe it or not, Washington had to borrow money to attend his own inauguration.

George Washington was one of the tallest and largest presidents in our countries history at 6’3” and more than 200 lbs with size 13 boots.

His previous occupations include: Surveyor, soldier, and planter.

In Philadelphia, Washington delivered the shortest inaugural address of all time. He had only one tooth at the time and his dentures often gave him pain when he wore them. It was only 133 words long and took a mere 90 seconds to deliver. It went as follows:

Fellow Citizens,

I am again called upon by the voice of my country to execute the functions of its Chief Magistrate. When the occasion proper for it shall arrive, I shall endeavor to express the high sense I entertain of this distinguished honor, and of the confidence which has been reposed in me by the people of united America.

Previous to the execution of any official act of the President the Constitution requires an oath of office. This oath I am now about to take, and in your presence: That if it shall be found during my administration of the Government I have in any instance violated willingly or knowingly the injunctions thereof, I may (besides incurring constitutional punishment) be subject to the upbraidings of all who are now witnesses of the present solemn ceremony.

As president, he was the only one who never actually lived in Washington D.C.

Although it was considered fashionable to wear a powdered wig late in the 1700’s, Washington refused to and instead powdered his own red-brown hair.

He was the only president to die in the 1700’s

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. It has been argued by historians that his actual birth date was February 11, 1732. The British Parliament replaced the current Julian calendar in 1752 with the Gregorian calendar. They say that the new calendar moved his birthday back 11 days.

Unfortunately for Martha, George Washington was a very loud snorer.

George Washington, in fact, never chopped down a cherry tree. It was made up by a man named Mason Weems shortly after his death to show people how honest Washington was as a child.

It is also said that George Washington threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River. First of all, the Potomac is over a mile long, and second, there were no silver dollars when he was a boy.

George Washington is called the “father of our country” yet he never biologically fathered any children. However, he was a father for Martha’s two children from a previous marriage as if they were his own.

In addition to having our nation’s capital named after him, George also had the following named after him as well:
33 counties
7 mountains
9 colleges
121 post offices

Washington had a history of dental problems. When he was 57 he had all of his teeth pulled out. Many have grown to believe over the years that he wore wooden dentures but that was not the case. In fact, his dentures were made from human or animal teeth and ivory or lead.

Many years ago a set of his authentic false teeth was stolen from the Smithsonian Institution.

George Washington was so much of an ice cream lover, he had "ice-boxes" kept full for his family and guests. They apparently ordered thousands of gallons over the years.

George Washington made Thanksgiving a holiday in October of 1789. He said it was to be observed on November 26.

George Washington began school at age six and left school at age fifteen to become a surveyor. Although the Washington’s were not considered poor, his mother still couldn’t afford to send him to college.

Many historians have estimated that George Washington’s IQ was around 125.

George Washington inherited 11 slaves from his father and at the time it was commonplace to own them. As he grew older, Washington’s attitude toward slavery changed dramatically. In his will he emancipated his 11 slaves and his estate paid them a pension for decades.

Despite his other professions (surveyor, planter, soldier) George thought of himself as a farmer first. Through his studies of agriculture he began to think that the mule could perform more efficiently in farm work. Therefore, he introduced the mule at Mount Vernon in the 1780’s. He was right! Soon after the mule became the farm hand of choice in the United States.

He was the first man in history to be given the title of Lieutenant General.

His favorite sports were fox hunting and fishing.

Some of Washington’s favorite foods were string beans with mushrooms, cream of peanut soup, and mashed sweet potatoes with coconut.

He was the first president to have his picture on the postage stamp.

Washington had a speech impediment. He would often get his “I’s” and “e’s” mixed up. This caused him to spell many words incorrectly.

Washington once suffered from smallpox. It left his face scarred.

To get to work, Washington had to take a boat from Mount Vernon to Washington D.C.

One of George Washington’s hobbies was to breed hound dogs. He often gave them rather unusual names like: Tarter and Sweet Lips.

Jimmy Carter believed that our country's first president should also be America’s highest military official. As the commander of the Continental Army, George Washington was a four-star general but was promoted to a six-star “General of the Armies of Congress” by Carter’s order.

Many events occurred on Friday for Washington. It was on this day that he: was born, was elected commander in chief, established the US Marine Corps, fought in the Battle of Princeton, emerged victorious at Yorktown, was elected as the President of the Constitutional Convention, established the War Department, instituted the Federal seat of the government, made Thanksgiving a holiday, laid the cornerstone of the White House, completed his last presidential term.

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