George Washington (1732-1799), planter, soldier and politician. Washington was born into a Virginian planter family in 1732. He commanded the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and was subsequently elected the first President of the United States. He served for two terms from 1789 to 1797, but refused to serve for a third term. His term of office saw the development of a strong central government based on sound financial policies and the adoption of a neutral foreign policy avoiding any involvement in foreign conflicts.