by Josh Peffer

Created on: December 17, 2009

George Washington. The man, the general, the planter, the President of the United States, the citizen of he United States, and so many more; all titles given to one of the great men that lived and served our country.

He was a man that in hes early years idolized some of the great men of Virginia and wished someday to gain status and wealth like these men. He looked up to one man in particular, his older bother Lawrence. During the Revolutionary War, he was a general, a leader to men whom he served. On his home plantation of Mount Vernon, he was a successful surveyor of land and a flourishing planter. As the President of the United States, he served dutifully, and at the end, gave up his seat of power. He considered himself no more than just a citizen of his country, serving the country to better the country. All of these titles, and many more were given to the great man we know as George Washington.

The book, "The Ascent of George Washington, the Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon, by John Ferling, shows the true story of George Washington. It tells the history of George Washington. But it differs from other books about George Washington in the way that it portrays him. The book tells truly who and what George Washington was about. He did a lot of things wrong, but hid it and blamed it on everyone else. Ferling tells how great George Washington was, but shows some facts that are little known to most of the public. He seems to be very biased however in his presentation of the facts. Everything he tells seems to point out some little flaw in Washington's character, or a flaw in the way he attained his status. But, he still praises Washington as a great man, and tells the story well.

The George Washington we know is the great figure we see in paintings and pictures and stories such as how George Washington chopped down a cherry tree. But these do not give a complete picture to the person. At the start of this book, it gives some information on how George Washington came to be an important person in the eyes of Americans.

He was born in Virginia in 1732. Throughout his younger years, he idolized his older brother Lawrence, who owned a plantation know as Mount Vernon. Lawrence, who owned a plantation know as Mount Vernon. Lawrence was a adjutant general in the British army. "Worldly, educated, well-to-do, dashing in his resplendent uniform, and deferred to as a hero by the most influential men and captivation women in Virginia." (Ferling, 10) This was

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