George Washington's Major Contributions

C. Shoshany 11x

History December 11, 2007

George Washington’s Major Contributions

George Washington, the father of our country, is one of the most well known figures in American History. As a military general, and then later as the President of the United States, he possessed many qualities that made him such a great man. His leadership abilities can be seen in his many accomplishments and contributions.

He began his military career in 1752, when he joined the British army and served as a lieutenant in the French and Indian War. Two years later, George Washington built Fort Necessity to defend his forces from French soldiers. George was appointed to be the colonel of the Virginia regiment in 1755.

After being a lieutenant and colonel, George decided to change his life and become more political. In 1758, he was elected to the House of Burgesses in Virginia and ended up serving it for 17 years. In 1774 he was elected as Virginia Delegate to the First Continental Congress and then to the Second Continental Congress in 1775.

Once George Washington finished his first political stage in his life, he became leader of the Continental Army in 1775. During the year 1776, George and his troops had a successful victory over the British Army. George was very good strategist and using his skills, he outsmarted General Cornwallis at the battle of Princeton. Finally after six years, George Washington was able to end the American Revolution with his defeat of the British at Yorktown in 1778.

Besides being politically active and serving in the military, George had a great sense of leadership. He was dedicated to the people that he worked with, and as general, he fought alongside his men. In 1776, George promised his troops a cash bonus at the end of their army service and because of this, he was able to attract and recruit many other soldiers to join the army. George also created the “Purple Heart” which was a badge honoring military merit. George Washington possessed excellent skills, an outgoing personality and advanced leadership abilities which helped him to accomplish so many achievements in his lifetime.

Bibliography: www.history.com

George Washington's Family Life

C. Shoshany 11x

History December 4, 2007

Family Life of George Washington

George Washington was one of the most important figures in American history. Often referred to as the "father of liberty and freedom," George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. He was born in Westmoreland, Virginia and was the son of Augustine and Mary Ball Washington. Known facts about his childhood prove that George was a hardworking and dedicated person. Through his lifetime he accomplished so much as both a General and later as the first President of the United States.

George was a part of a large family with many siblings, five brothers and one sister. The names of his brothers were Augustine, Lawrence, Samuel, John Augustine and Charles; George’s sister was named Betty. George’s father, Augustine, had been previously married so in addition, George had two half-brothers from that marriage. His grandfather was named Lawrence Washington. George was tall and strong as a child and he received a pony from his father as a gift and learned how to ride. At school, George was taught by a minister how to read, write, and do sums; however George had a difficult time with spelling. George’s father died when he was only eleven years old, so his half-brother Lawrence taught him how to hunt and shoot. At age sixteen George became a surveyor, and surveyed the land to the west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

George Washington married Martha Curtis, who already had two young children, Patsy and Jackie, from a previous marriage. They lived on a plantation called Mt. Vernon, which became his lifetime home. George and Martha then adopted two other children. George was considered a gentleman farmer because he preferred the quiet plantation life over the political life. Over the course of his lifetime, George increased the size of the Mt. Vernon plantation from 2000 acres to 8000 acres, and changed the original tobacco crop to wheat. George Washington died at age sixty seven on December 14, 1799, after living a life full of achievements.

Bibliography:

http://www.clements.umich.edu/Exhibits/g.washington/case.05/case05.html

http://www.indianchild.com/george_washingtonhtm

http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/project/faq/index.html

www.history.com

Greenwich Village pictures

We went to Greenwich Village and saw many Row houses.

GV pictures

We went to Grenwich Village and we saw the Washington Square Arch.

The Unknown Story of Francisco Hudson

C Shoshany 11x
Creative Writing November 16, 2007

The Unknown Story of Francisco Hudson


We were lost at sea with no trace of land or people! It was the winter of 1610 and we had just survived a horrendous mutiny aboard the Hopewell, the ship that my father, Henry Hudson, was the captain of. All that was left were the three of us, my father, a loyal crew member named, Adolfo, and me, Francisco Hudson. Conditions were terrible, and the crew finally formed rebellion, revolted and threw us overboard with nothing but a wooden dinghy and our smarts. So there we were, somewhere in upper North America in the unknown area of the Hudson Bay, being tossed violently in the rough waters as the storm raged on around us.

As the number of days increased and grew longer, and as we were becoming more and more starving, the dinghy sprung a leak. Adolfo quickly put his toe inside the hole, leaving my father and me just enough time to cover the hole with our only blanket.
“Excuse me sir, but I don’t think that blanket can stop the leak for much longer.” said Adolfo. My father answered with a depressing look on his face,
“God helps those who are in need.”


We were slowly drifting with the waves, my father and Adolfo were resting, but I was just staring into the beautiful blank ocean. As I sat staring, in the corner of my eye, there was a gorgeous seagull, soaring through the air. I immediately woke my father and said,
“Father father, look, it’s a seagull!”
As he slowly got up, he realized that we must be near land and he yelled with excitement,
“We are going to live!”
We all continued to sit there waiting to see land when Adolfo screamed,
“Land Ho!”


We were now approaching the island and I felt so excited to walk around on solid ground and explore. It was a beautiful sight, an shoreline setting with the tall oaks and evergreen trees of the coast of upper North America. When we landed, we all set out to investigate and find food. All we saw were row after row of trees. We walked into the forest, and Adolfo heard rushing water so we followed him to a nearby stream. As father and Adolfo were trying to catch fish, I became distracted by the smoke I detected in the air, not too far from there. Without realizing, I was followed the smoke and was getting further and further from Adolfo and father, until I was out of sight of the stream, Adolfo and father. Before I knew it, I saw a wigwam in the distance. Although I was petrified, I slowly approached it, the flap door opened and a tremendous Native American emerged. He could sense my fear, and since he saw that I was so cold and hungry, he gestured to invite me in.


While the Indian, Wolf Call, gave me a bowl of something warm to eat, I tried to tell him about my father and Adolfo, and how I had become separated from them. He seemed to understand and he took me out in search of them. Before nightfall we finally found them near the stream. They were all relieved to see me and I introduced them to Wolf Call as best I could. Father said to Wolf Call,
“Thank you for taking care of my son” and Wolf Call nodded as if to say your welcome. He indicated that we should follow him back to his wigwam to stay there for the night.


The next morning, Wolf Call led us to a little cove where his stored the large birch bark canoe that he used for trapping beaver. We understood that he was just on the island hunting for beaver, but lived with the rest of his Mohican tribe not too far away. We all huddled into the eight foot canoe, and Wolf Call and Adolfo paddled together to reach that place. Once we got there, we were treated with respect as honored guests, and were offered a feast made of foods native to the area such as corn, pumpkin, and rabbit.


“The civil war has broken out!” cried Adolfo in alarm, as he returned from a hunting expedition with some of the Native Americans. It was a brutal war between the Mohicans and the Oneida tribes.
“I saw the Oneida coming with their sharpened bows and arrows, their painted faces and their vicious eyes!” announced Adolfo.
Scarku, the Mohican chief, quickly gathered his warriors to defend the territory. An Oneida arrow came speeding towards us, and killed my father instantly. After this tragic incident, I felt that I needed to be a part of this war too.


As time passed, I began to put my father’s death behind me. The Mohican’s ended the war with a remarkable defeat of the Oneida. At the age of twenty-three, I married a beautiful Indian woman, Miwok. I became what was known as a coureurs de bois, an independent trader, and lived the rest of my life with my wife, Miwok, and the rest of the Mohican Tribe.

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