George Washington: The Rules Of Civility

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George's great-grandfather immigrated from England to Westmoreland County, Virginia where he owned more than 5,000 acres of land. His parents were Augustine and Mary Ball Washington and this is where he was born on February 22, 1732. He was one of 10 children. When he was 6 years old they moved to a farm near Fredericksburg where he spent most of his childhood, though they farmed other plantations. George only went to school until he was about 7 or 8 years old. His father died when he was 11 which prevented him to going to England for a formal, classical education.

When he was 16 years old, he went to live with his older brother Lawrence who took care of him and helped to raise him and to teach him how to be a gentleman. Young George hand copied The Rules of Civility which was a guide about how to behave like a gentleman in society. This manual is what taught …show more content…

Additionally, Tuesday afternoons he formally had meetings as President of the United States with gentlemen from 3-4pm. Martha also knew her actions would be imitated by wives of future presidents and a very important thing she implemented was to begin a weekly reception at the presidential mansion on Friday nights, which were less formal gatherings and included both women and men from the local community and fostered interaction with members of Congress, foreign dignitaries, other politicians and ordinary citizens. The wife of the Vice President, Abigail Adams, wrote: “Mrs. Washington is one of those unassuming characters which create Love & Esteem. A most becoming pleasantness sits upon her countenance & an unaffected deportment which renders her the object of veneration and Respect.” Martha was addressed as “Lady Washington” and sometimes as “our Lady

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