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Washington led his army against the British and their commander Sir William Howe. The "shot heard around the world" was fired at Lexington in 1774 and the War began. The Battle of Bunker Hill gave the Americans great confidence, soon challenged by the mighty British Army on Long Island, Harlem Heights, and White Plains, New York. Washington retreated to Manhattan and bought some time. He crossed the Delaware and found victory against the British in Trenton, New Jersey and later in Princeton. Washington chased the British back to New York and Washington went into winter quarters in Morristown, New Jersey. Howe's army landed at Head of Elk and moved toward Philadelphia. The British triumphed at Brandywine, and Washington moved his troops to protect Philadelphia. The British took Germantown and camped there, awaiting the Americans. Washington formulated his plan and his troops in for the attack...

The British took Philadelphia and the Americans camped for the winter at Valley Forge. There they regrouped and received training by several skilled Europeans. They emerged from Valley Forge with new determination and a much improved army, militarily. Further, in 1778, France signed a treaty with the Americans, and began supplying supplies and naval assistance. The now strong Americans and the powerful French Navy clashed with the British at Yorktown. There the British surrendered and the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783. The War was over and the United States of America was born.

Washington resigned as commander and retired to his estate at Mount Vernon. The new United States adopted the Articles of Confederation, but its founders realized the necessity to draft a new document as their Constitution. A convention was held and Washington presided and was very involved in the process. After much heated debate, on several occasions almost forcing the convention to be adjurned, the delegates ratified the United States Constitution. Washington was elected president of the United States on February 4, 1789. John Adams of Massachusetts was elected vice president. In April Washington took the oath of office in New York City, where the seat of government was still provisionally maintained. Washington supported adding a Bill of Rights to the original Constitution to specify the rights of individual citizens, but he opposed attempts to eliminate Congress's power to levy taxes and to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states. To Washington these provisions formed the basis of fiscal stability and solid national credit. He supported Alexander Hamilton's proposal for a national bank, and appointed Hamilton to his cabinet, along with Thomas Jefferson, Edmund Randolph and Henry Knox. Washington was very popular and served a second term in 1792.

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