George Washington

George Washington, written by Patricia Florence. Focus question. Why is George Washington one of the most famous presidents in the history of the United States?

乔治·华盛顿，作者：帕特里夏·弗洛伦斯。 思考问题。 为什么乔治·华盛顿是美国历史上最著名的总统之一？

The First President On a bright day in 1789, George Washington began the oath that would make him president. It had been a long but rewarding journey to this moment. Washington had already served his country as a military leader, and now he would serve as its highest political leader. As he finished the oath of office, the large crowd cheered loudly. George Washington was now the first president of the United States of America.

首任总统 1789年一个晴朗的日子，乔治·华盛顿开始宣誓，这份宣誓将让他成为总统。 走到这一刻，这段旅程漫长却收获满满。 华盛顿曾以军事领袖身份报效国家，如今他将以最高政治领袖的身份继续服务国家。 当他完成就职宣誓后，大群民众高声欢呼起来。 乔治·华盛顿自此成为美利坚合众国的第一任总统。

A Young Farmer George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. His parents, Augustine and Mary, raised him on a large farm in Virginia. When George was just 11 years old, his father died. George's half -brother, Lawrence, helped raise him instead. In his youth, George did not have much formal education. He learned more by doing things, like farming. George's family home, Mount Vernon, was his favorite place, and he loved to farm the land there. However, he also loved the military and would soon get a chance to serve.

年轻农夫 乔治·华盛顿出生于1732年2月22日。 他的父母奥古斯丁和玛丽，在弗吉尼亚的一座大农场将他养大。 乔治年仅11岁时，父亲就去世了。 于是他的异母哥哥劳伦斯，帮忙将他抚养长大。 乔治年少时没接受过多少正规教育。 他更多从实践中学习，比如耕种农活。 乔治的家弗农山庄是他最爱的地方，他十分喜欢在这里耕种土地。 不过他也热爱军事，很快就得到了服役的机会。

the French and Indian War. At that time, the United States was not yet a country. Each state was a British colony, an area controlled by another country. There was no national army at that time. Instead, each colony had its own army. Beginning in 1752, Washington served in Virginia's army. By 1754, the French and Indian War had begun between Great Britain and France. Both wanted to control land in North America. Native Americans joined forces with the French. Washington led the Virginia Army on behalf of the British.

法印战争。 那个时候，美国还不是一个独立国家。 每个州都是英国的殖民地，也就是被其他国家控制的区域。 当时还没有全国性的军队。 每个殖民地都拥有自己的军队。 从1752年开始，华盛顿在弗吉尼亚军队服役。 1754年，英国和法国之间爆发了法印战争。 两国都想要控制北美洲的土地。 印第安人和法国结成了联盟。 华盛顿代表英国统领弗吉尼亚军队作战。

Great Britain won the French and Indian War, and people began to see that Washington was a strong military commander. Yet he dreamed of farming once again and returned to Mount Vernon. There, in 1759, he married Martha Custis. Martha's family owned a lot of land and many slaves. During that period of history, many people owned slaves. Although the Washingtons owned more than 300 slaves, George felt that slavery was wrong. He ordered that his slaves should be set free upon Martha's death.

英国赢得了法印战争，人们也开始发现华盛顿是一名优秀的军事指挥官。 但华盛顿依旧梦想回归农耕生活，于是他回到了弗农山庄。 1759年，他在那里和玛莎·卡斯蒂斯成婚。 玛莎的家族拥有大片土地和许多奴隶。 在那段历史时期，很多人都拥有奴隶。 虽然华盛顿夫妇拥有超过300名奴隶，但乔治认为奴隶制是错误的。 他要求在玛莎去世后解放他所有的奴隶。

Fighting for Independence By the 1770s, people living in the colonies were unhappy. Great Britain was charging taxes on products in the colonies, such as tea. Colonial leaders met for nearly two months at the First Continental Congress in September 1774. They made a plan to stand up to the British and protect the colonists' basic rights. Some leaders were prepared to break away from Great Britain entirely. Washington attended the meeting in full uniform. He was prepared to fight if Great Britain didn't agree to their plan. Great Britain opposed the plan, and the colonial leaders held the Second Continental Congress in the spring of 1775. At that meeting, they set up a new government. They asked George Washington to lead a new Continental Army against the British. The colonists were ready to fight for independence.

为独立而战 到18世纪70年代，殖民地的民众过得很不开心。 英国向殖民地的商品征税，比如茶叶也要收税。 1774年9月，殖民地领袖们开了近两个月的第一届大陆会议。 他们制定计划反抗英国，保卫殖民地人民的基本权利。 部分领袖已经做好准备，要彻底脱离英国独立。 华盛顿穿着全套军装出席了会议。 如果英国不同意他们的计划，他已经做好开战准备。 英国反对这个计划，于是殖民地领袖们在1775年春天召开了第二届大陆会议。 在这次会议上，他们成立了新政府。 他们邀请乔治·华盛顿统领新的大陆军对抗英国。 殖民地人民已经做好准备，为独立而战。