A George Washington Education - What Made Him Great? | Education

By KayleyKenzie
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George Washington was born in 1732 on February 22. He was born on his father's Westmoreland County plantation in Virginia. His father, Augustine Washington, was a justice of the county court and also the area's leading planter.

George's mother was Mary Ball Washington. Augustine had been married before, but the mother of his first two sons and daughter died. Augustine would have six children with his second wife Mary, and George was the oldest.

Not much is known about George Washington's childhood. And little is known about the George Washington education.

Most children in Virginia were taught at home by private tutors, or in local private schools. Boys usually stated formal education at the age of seven. They would start with lessons in reading, writing, and basic arithmetic.

As they got older they were taught Greek and Latin. They also learned bookkeeping, surveying, and geometry. Wealthy planters would usually send their sons of to England to finish their education.

George's two older half brothers were able to go to England. However, George never was able to go because of his father's death.

The George Washington education most likely started in a school located close to home for a few years. He may have gone to another school later. But what we know for sure was that was very good at mathematics and learned surveying.

Although most sons of gentlemen learned Greek and Latin, George never learned any other language. Nor did he ever go to college. It's been estimated that the George Washington education came to an end around the age of 15.

Social skills were considered an extremely important part of any young man or woman's education by the gentry class. George spent more and more time with his half brother Lawrence in his home at Mount Vernon after their father died.

Lawrence helped in many ways, such as: mentoring and tutoring him in his studies, teaching him social graces, and introducing him into society.

The George Washington education was seen as defective his whole life. He made every effort to make up for all the things he didn't learn in school by reading books and learning from people he respected.

Through the years of his personal studying, he built up an enormous library. He also subscribed to many newspapers. He also wrote a lot.

It's possible that George's truncated formal education caused him to place a higher value on education. He willed money for building a school in Alexandria, Virginia as well as a national university.

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