The American Revolution: The First Phase

The Minutemen shot the shit out of the Brits at Lexington Concord and then shot the crap out of them at Bunker Hill. General Washington arrived and one night set up a bunch of guns on Dorchester Heights and told the British to get out or else.

From there Washington didn't do so good. Lord Howe kicked his butt at Brooklyn Heights and then chased him up the Hudson River Valley. By December Washington knew he had to do something drastic or lose the war. He attacked at Trenton and then Princeton and saved America.

But the toil continued. General Howe gave Washington a royal ass whooping at Brandywine and took Philadelphia. Washington's attack at Germantown was overcomplicated and failed. From there he went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. The Continental Army trained and came out of Valley Forge itching for a fight.

Washington attacked the British at Monmouth, a large, complex and tactically inconclusive draw but a strategic victory for the Americans as the Continental Army showed it could go musket to musket against the Brits.

From that point on the British could not win the war.

230 Years on

On this day in 1789 George Washington was inaugurated.

His most important presidential legacy was establishing the norms for the office, two terms, Mr President, cabinet, etc.

President Washington's judgment was sound, he picked the right men for that cabinet, obviously. Jefferson at state was a great idea, and of course Hamilton at treasury.

He kept us out of the wars of the French revolution, concluded a treaty with the British and smartly handled the Whisky Rebellion.

Two-hundred-and-thirty years later, George Washington is still one of the top five presidents.

Thank you, Mr. President.