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American Revolution

George Washington - Civilian

George Washington - Civilian
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   6.82

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    battle-ready, trigonometry, delegate, rearing, military, surveyor, billiards, militia, remarried, politics, civilian, successful, death, truth, marriage, mathematics
     content words:    George Washington, Lawrence Washington, Shenandoah Valley, Mount Vernon, Martha Custis, First Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress, John Adams, Continental Army

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George Washington - Civilian
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     You've seen pictures of George Washington. Just look at a one dollar bill to see his face. Maybe you have heard the story about how George chopped down his father's cherry tree. He admitted the truth to his father because he knew it was right to tell the truth. There's more to learn about our famous first president. He was a surveyor. He was a successful plantation owner. He was a husband and a stepfather. He was a respected military man. There's a lot to learn about this great man, so in this article let's learn what we can about George Washington, civilian. That means we will be looking at the life of George Washington when he wasn't in the army.
 
2     The first wife of George's father died. He remarried, and George was the first son born to this marriage. He was born on February 22, 1732, in Virginia. George had an older half brother named Lawrence who would be very important in George's life. Young Washington's father died when George was only 11 years old. George's mother was unable to see to his rearing and sent him to live with Lawrence.
 
3     George learned a lot from Lawrence. He learned how to manage a plantation, or large farm. He became familiar with a study of mathematics called trigonometry. He learned to appreciate music, theater, and books. He learned the skills needed to be a surveyor. At this time in history, there were many disputes about who owned what land and where the boundaries were. A surveyor was often called to settle these disputes. Maybe the most important thing that George learned from his half brother was a love of military service. While living with Lawrence Washington, George developed two powerful dreams for his future: to join the army and to run his own plantation.

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