Forging a Nation's Legacy: The Formative Years and Timeless Principles of George Washington

Ever wondered how a young boy from Virginia grew up to become one of the most revered figures in American history? Join us as we uncover the incredible life and career of George Washington. Learn how he managed the daunting responsibility of his household at just 11 years old and received an education that rivaled today's college degrees. Discover Washington's adventures in surveying and his travels abroad with his half-brother Lawrence, where he faced and survived smallpox. This episode also explores the pivotal inheritance of Mount Vernon, a moment that profoundly influenced his path to greatness.

Step into the shoes of the man who led a fledgling nation, guided by unwavering principles and a deep commitment to his soldiers and country. We discuss Washington's famous prayer at Valley Forge, his unparalleled leadership, and his remarkable achievements as the first President of the United States. From establishing the Supreme Court to setting the foundation for the Bill of Rights, Washington's legacy is one of monumental significance. Tune in to understand how his early experiences and steadfast values forged the leader we honor today.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to Young America everybody. My name is Jacob and today I'm with Joe and we are starting on a new adventure with our new series on historical figures and how they can impact our lives. And today we're going to be starting with George Washington and going through some of the facts of his growing up and his life and then how we can apply what he learned to ourselves today. So let's just jump right into it. You know, starting at the very beginning, joe. So I mean, obviously we didn't live back in the 1700s when George Washington was alive, so what was his childhood like? Where did he grow up?

Speaker 2: 0:40

Well, his childhood, based off of what you know, what we know from what others have said, obviously he was born and raised in Virginia and basically he just worked with his dad on a farm and it was called the Fairy Farm and we were just having a discussion whether it was an actual fairy farm and we were just like having a discussion whether it was like an actual fairy farm or was it called the fairy farm. But we've come to the conclusion that is not a fairy farm, it is just called fairy farm. So there you go. If you're thoroughly confused, join the club, um. But then, um, his father died when he was, when washington was, at the age of 11. So obviously, at that point in time, washington took over, I guess, as the man of the house or whatever how that works.

Speaker 2: 1:38

Yeah, so from an early age he learned responsibility and I think that's a good thing, especially for men or for young boys, to learn responsibility even when they're young. I think it's very beneficial for them and it'll help them out in the long run. But yeah, so that's basically. Not much else is known about his childhood, really else is known about.

Speaker 1: 2:10

You know his childhood really so, yeah. So, that being said, you know, okay. So his father died when he was 11 and he kind of was the one who had to be responsible for his family now. So what did that look like then for his education? Because I would think it would be kind of hard to go to school. You run a show for his education.

Speaker 2: 2:25

He, uh, from what it sounds like he was educated by a tutor. Um, it sounds like the the family was pretty wealthy, and so that's what you know, the wealthy people did was to get private tutors to come in and teach their kids. And so, um, which actually kind of surprised me, that they were wealthy. I don't know why, I thought they weren't, but I just never thought they were wealthy, but I guess they are like something new, everything. Anyways. Yeah, right, he uh basically just got tutored from home and, uh, he got done with school. I think he was at the age of 15. And so, yeah, pretty smart cookie, I guess.

Speaker 1: 3:09

Well, I mean, I mean that was a question that I don't know if you have the answer to this, but like it makes me wonder how, compared to today, you know what, how educated, so to speak, he was you know we're talking high school was. Are we talking high school level? Are we talking college? What are we looking at here? Do we know that?

Speaker 2: 3:30

Yeah. So I think it's more of a college level, honestly. Now they obviously didn't have science and the history stuff because obviously history they haven't gone through all the stuff we've gone through and they haven't figured out all the stuff from science that we've figured out yet.

Speaker 2: 3:46

So as far as that part goes, I don't think there's much and there's a depth maybe what was there, but I do think that there were a lot of other things that, like mathematics, they were really good at, really good at um, learning different languages like greek and hebrew, and just things that you know 15 year olds really wouldn't know today, you know they were intelligent maybe more classically educated than we would consider today, maybe, but at any rate so all right.

Speaker 1: 4:21

He finishes school when he's 15, so what did he do after that? I mean, I mean, considering us, that's pretty young. I mean we don't graduate college until we're like what? 22 if we start early or whatever.

Speaker 2: 4:40

After he got done with college or not college school, whatever you want to call it he figured out that he was pretty good with numbers and so he went into surveying Surveying, not surveying, yeah, surveying. And he did that for a while. But then he and his stepbrother started to travel the world, or at least travel, you know, outside of america. And um, his half-brother had tuberculosis and so they thought that the you know, the warmer weather would help with that, and, uh, anywho. But as soon as they left, or whatever, george Washington got smallpox and because of that, most of the times he would have died from that, especially back then, but he survived. But because of that he had a bunch of scars all over his face. But anywho, his brother, he studied abroad, so I think he studied in England and so he knew more. So, because in America they're just starting and they may not have all the stuff that.

Speaker 1: 5:57

Don't have the infrastructure.

Speaker 2: 5:59

And they're also still learning stuff, probably more so than America is, and so all the new stuff that they haven't learned yet is hasn't come across. You know, the ocean, whatever, but anyways. Uh, his older brother's name was lawrence, and so lawrence was also kind of tutoring washington at the same time. So he learned a lot from his older brother, but but his older brother died the next year, and but because of that he left Washington.

Speaker 1: 6:33

Mount.

Speaker 2: 6:33

Vernon and famous with Washington.

Speaker 1: 6:36

So have you ever been there? It's cool.

Speaker 2: 6:40

I want to say I have, but I honestly don't remember. I've been so many places I'm like I don't remember anymore.

Speaker 1: 6:51

Well, you can start a new adventure then. So, okay, washington hung out with his brother Lawrence, until his brother died, it sounds like. And then what happened after that?

Speaker 2: 7:03

What did he do after he got done living in england didn't for a while yeah, so in december of uh 1752 he was made the commander of the virginian military or militia and it wasn't like the whole thing, it was just like a specific part of the militia and they fought in the french and indian war, um, and then after the french and indian war, he became head of the entire militia, um, and then after that he resigned in 1759 to which is which is funny because, like, his whole plan was just to live at Mount Vernon and you know, grow his farm, go horseback riding, you know, live life a little bit.

Speaker 2: 7:49

That was his whole plan, but he's like, nope, that's not going to happen.

Speaker 1: 7:55

Yeah, that's. Yeah, that is interesting. It's like people who want to and sometimes it, you know things get the rust on you. I guess, I don't know, you know. Yeah, that just makes me want to think Washington was kind of a normal guy when you think, you know, in a way he just wanted to go do his thing, but that didn't happen, obviously. So it's just interesting.

Speaker 2: 8:22

Well, when you're as smart and as useful as washington was like hey, this guy's actually he knows what he's doing, so let's plug him into something you know, something useful, you can help us all out.

Speaker 1: 8:34

But I mean, I would guess too, he probably was cared. We sometimes normal people actually care, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 8:45

Like oh yeah you know he well, he kind of reminds me of honestly, yeah in a way, because I'm saying he kind of reminds me of trump in a way, because he actually cared. You know, he could have just said no to everything, he just stayed at his own house. And you look at the things that trump have said and I'm you know they're not the same people, but the likeness is there. No, um, you know, trump could have totally just continued making billions and nobody would have cared. But he's like you know what? I can make a difference and I can change america and I can make it great again.

Speaker 2: 9:26

And so it's what he did. And now, because he's done that, everyone's climbing down his back and trying to get rid of him. He's like he didn't have to go through any of this stuff. He could have just done whatever he wanted, to be quiet. But he's like, yeah, but so in that way it's kind of the same, but other than that, not really yeah, so back to washington after he gets done with the virginia militia and the french and indian war.

Speaker 1: 9:57

What is what happens after that? What is he? Where did he go from there?

Speaker 2: 10:02

so he goes back home, which he's been longing for, and he gets himself into politics and so he's a good politician. Yeah right, Big mistake. But he finds a wife and her name's obviously Martha, and so she was actually a wealthy widow who had some kids and they got married, but they never had kids of their own. They never had kids of their own, but Washington, he took those kids and he treated them like his own and, you know, he loved them just as much. But so, yeah, that's basically what happened. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 10:43

So then all right, he gets into politics and eventually we know he gets involved in the revolutionary war and politics there. So what kind of led to that involvement there?

Speaker 2: 11:01

yeah, um, so washington was. Obviously he's paying attention to politics because he was, you know, a politician or whatever. So, with the tax scene, um, which is funny, but, um, they were freaking out about like a two percent tax or whatever, and now today there's a 40% tax and we're what are we doing? We're doing nothing, but that's beside the point, um, anyway. So he's watching this and he's like you know what we need to separate from England, and so obviously we all had that mentality or at least most of us, anyways and, um, and so, anyways, they had the first Continental Congress, then they had the second one, and at the second Continental Congress he was appointed commander-in-chief of the army, and so because of his unique leadership, I believe we were able to win the war, I mean, obviously with God's help, but you know, god used specific people like him to win the war and you know, it's really crazy to think about a bunch of farmers and people that don't really know how to do nothing and be whipped up on the biggest army in the world, and it's just so miraculous, it's like like holy cow but, if you look at history from a biblical perspective, you'll find out that god had a purpose for america and I believe he still does um, and he used people like washington because he had washington and people like him had morals, they had standards and they were willing to die for them.

Speaker 2: 12:51

That's why we went to war, because we were not willing to be treated like a bunch of dogs when we were citizens of England and you know, they stood up for what was right, and that's something that we don't have today. But anyway, it's all about character and it's all about morals. What morals do you have? What character do you have? And it doesn't matter what you're doing, it doesn't matter if you're a politician or just a guy that wants to live on his farm. You should still have morals.

Speaker 1: 13:27

Yeah, I agree. Here's a question that I was thinking as you were talking. So what kind of crates do you think made Washington's leadership unique? And maybe are things that we could emulate today, even as young men specifically, mm-hmm men specifically.

Speaker 2: 13:58

Well, I believe he had a pure heart and I believe we can see that through his willingness to serve his country and it honestly wasn't even a country yet, it was in the making of a country but he was willing to take that sacrifice and willing to lay everything down, to die. And basically, what I was just saying to you know, to stand for the principles, and I believe that's where it all comes down to is it doesn't matter necessarily what you're doing, I mean.

Speaker 2: 14:23

I mean it does, but you know, just in general, it doesn't matter what you're doing, as long as you have principles that are godly and we look at how America was founded and what documents and things were drafted when the pilgrims first landed, and the Declaration of Independence and all of this stuff, and God is incorporated in all of it and I believe that is the most important thing is that he, he read the Bible and he loved God and I believe because of that, he learned many principles and he learned many things that are in the Bible, which is why we should read the Bible constantly, every day, to learn and pick out these things.

Speaker 2: 15:05

I mean, if you just look through all of the men in the Bible and just look at their character and look at the outcome of them, you can learn so much. Like, you know, you look at David, you look at Samuel, you look at Samson, you look at all these people and you know, the list can go on forever. But they chose a certain way of life and because of that, the outcome was, you know, the list can go on forever. Yeah, but they, they chose a certain way of life and because of that, the outcome was, you know, whatever it was. Um. So you can either do wrong and get treated, you know get what you deserve how you're supposed.

Speaker 2: 15:42

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to say get what you deserve for it, or you can live, live right and you can prosper and God will bless you. And I believe that was the biggest thing that helped George Washington. And just another thing, real quick, is in the Valley Forge. I believe it should be, um, I believe it should be quiet, um, in the valley of forage, um, he's watching is known for that picture of him kneeling and the snow melting around him. And that is a true, true story. It's not just you know a picture, it actually happened. And you, um, there are stories of his men, you know, telling that story again and how he was committed to God. You know how much time that would take for the snow around you to melt just to be down on your knees and praying to God. That's going to take a lot of time.

Speaker 2: 16:37

And he was dedicated to God. I mean, he was away from the fire, he probably didn't have anything, he was just kneeling there, so he was probably shivering, I mean cold, I bet, I imagine. But he was committed to god, he was committed to winning the war, and that's what set him apart from everyone else, I believe, um, because normally the generals or the commanders, officers, whatever you want to call them they would go and leave their soldiers wherever and they'd go to their them. They would go and leave their soldiers wherever and they'd go to their houses or they'd go to some place that's nice and cozy. But George Washington didn't do that. He stayed there with his men, he suffered with his men and he gained a lot of respect for that, and I believe that's why they elected him as president, because they knew that he cared about people, and so yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 17:31

So commitment is a key part. I like that. Or just to pull out something Obviously, relationship with God and then commitment are keys that made Washington what he was, is what it sounds like. So yeah, that's good. So then the question would be you know we live in America now, so we know Washington eventually won the war, but what happened to Washington after he won the war?

Speaker 2: 18:03

well, he went back home, but he didn't get to stay. He didn't get to stay there. So he was so influential in the continental congress, obviously winning the war as general, that many of the people wanted him, as the first president, to, you know, run the country. And at first he had nothing to do with. He's like no, just leave me alone, I want to stay at home, I want to live my life, just please leave me alone. But later he was convinced that, hey, maybe I should, you know, do this.

Speaker 2: 18:40

And so obviously he did become the first president and, um, he made a ton of changes well, not changes, but instated a whole bunch of new things that were very beneficial for the founding of our country. But, yeah, he got elected for the first term and then obviously for the second term as well. But here are just some accomplishments that he you know had done. Um, let me read them real quick. Uh, so, first of all, he had diplomatic relations, which was, I believe, somewhat of a newer thing in a sense. Um, obviously, because there was france and england and all that stuff there was still war going on between everyone but the ability to have relationships with all of them was quite profound because we had just gotten done with beating the snot out of them.

Speaker 2: 19:37

But you're like, hey, we should be allies. But See how that went in the War of 1812.

Speaker 1: 19:46

It worked a bit.

Speaker 2: 19:49

Yeah, and then they had the Supreme Court back then they had the National Bank, they had a presidential cabinet. He passed a whiskey tax. So basically it is what it sounds like A tax on whiskey and, um, you know, it's another thing. He had biblical standards like tax on whiskey, and you know it's another thing. He had biblical standards like taxing whiskey. I mean, he didn't necessarily get rid of it, but if you tax it, the likelihood of people actually going to buy.

Speaker 1: 20:18

it is less, it goes down less.

Speaker 2: 20:20

Right, and so you jack that tax up pretty high. It deters people, people, and it works. But and then, obviously, the Bill of Rights, and then new, five new colonies joined the union while he was president. But Anyways, at the end of his second term, he's like no, I'm done, and he, he was done. He finally got to go home, um, but, yeah, so he, he could have, he, he easily could have become the king, our monarchy, like england was.

Speaker 2: 21:01

But he didn't want to, and but the things that he did were so concrete and they were so beneficial that everyone after them just basically did exactly what he did. And I think it was important to have him specifically as the first president, because all the things that he did, um, they were so on point that you know we needed them at that time and we still need them now. But, um, also, another thing that I find interesting is during I think it was his last speech, that he was giving his farewell speech or whatever. If you actually go back and read that, it's some good stuff in there, stuff that we need to listen to today, yeah, um, so just go ahead and go read that, and I would love to read it now, but we don't have time for that it's pretty long please go read it, it's so good it's very good, yeah, he's just basically just saying stay away from foreign people, just work on our own country and don't mess around with you know other, everyone else's country and their messes.

Speaker 2: 22:12

It's not our responsibility to do. And what have we done? We're funding the war in ukraine. We're fighting, you know, israel and I believe we should fight for israel. But I'm just saying we're funding the whole world, basically. And what are we getting for it? Absolutely nothing and I believe this is where Trump also believes he's like put America first. All these other suckers can wait. This is America. We are the American people. We're going to serve our people. The other people can wait and get out of here, Anyways.

Speaker 1: 22:41

Yeah, so all right, george Washington gets done with his presidency presidency.

Speaker 2: 22:48

So I guess he goes back to his farm and lives happily ever after what it sounds like well, pretty much his uh plan was to go back to mount vernon and make it just as prosperous as it was before. Obviously he uh, you know, did all these things. But, um, one night, before, you know, going to bed, he was checking on everything, but it was raining and he was riding his horse, but he was basically just checking his plantation out, making sure everything's fine. And uh, the next morning he wakes up with a cold and then the cold develops into an infection which is in his throat and unfortunately, he dies at the age of 67, which, honestly though, at that time 67 wasn't a bad age, just science, probably not.

Speaker 2: 23:34

Um, it wasn't exactly easy to live that diet you're right, they didn't have all these medicines and vaccines and all this other stuff. But so yeah, that's basically life of George Washington.

Speaker 1: 23:53

Cool. So at the end of the day, I have two questions here. Number one what can we learn, from a biblical perspective, from George Washington's life? And then number two as young Americans, what are some key takeaways that we should take away to apply to the way we live and what we do in our country?

Speaker 2: 24:15

So I mean, obviously, the first thing that we see with George Washington was he was very smart or very wise, but he knew how to use that wisdom and he was always looking out for the betterment of his own people I mean just others in general, but specifically Americans obviously. But he was very, very wise. I believe that's how we won the war. Obviously because he could strategize, he could use his resources, he knew where to put stuff soldiers and all this stuff. He was very wise and he knew how to use it and he had common sense, and I believe that is something that there's not much of today. But he actually cared for the American people of the day. But, um, he actually cared for the american people. Um, so basically, from a biblical perspective, he was wise and I that uh verse comes to my mind um, be as wise as serpents but as harmless as doves. Um, you know, just be wise and as wise as you can be, because in the long run it's going to help you out and you know you can be in a sticky situation, but if you know how to do certain things, you can weasel your way out of bad situations. But so that's basically from a biblical perspective, as young America, biblical perspective, um, as young america.

Speaker 2: 25:51

We just look at the life of him and how dedicated he was, um, in everything that he did, and I think that should be one of the key things that we take away um, just in everything that he did, he gave his all and he succeeded for it. And you look at and he succeeded for it. And you look at the war, obviously, and there were some battles that he lost, but yet he recovered from them and he still won the war. He may have lost the battle, but he won the war, um, and that's just going to be part of life. You're not going to win everything. There's going to be chances that you take and you're going to fail, but you get back from them and you get it again and you figure out how to get it to work. So, I guess, just being dedicated to everything that you're doing, no matter what it is, and in every little task, to put your whole heart into it and just do your best, um, so that's what I think yeah.

Speaker 1: 26:55

so at the end of the day, then, wisdom, getting wisdom and having dedication basically is what it sounds like are key takeaways which I think you know, important, obviously, and something that lacks, unfortunately. So, yeah, if you're listening, take it to heart. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 27:20

Yeah, go ahead. Well, another thing is he was very well educated. I was saying but that's the problem. What we have in america is that no one knows exactly what they're talking about. They're just following the crowd and chanting this and chanting that. In reality, they have no idea what they're talking about. They're just a bunch of blind fools leading blind fools. You know, and it sounds harsh, but it's the honest truth and we need to come to that honest truth and come to the realization that we don't know what we're doing. You know, we don't know the facts, we don't know any specifics about anything. We just follow the crowd or follow what someone else says because it sounds good. It's like dude, go do your homework, go do your research and figure out what's true and what God would be pleased with. But anyways, that's right, yeah, Side note.

Speaker 1: 28:18

Yep, all right. Well, thank you everybody for listening. Be sure to take these lessons to heart and we will be back in the next couple of weeks with another character and more lessons for your life.