VII ESSAY QUESTIONS Grade 10
What qualities in George Washington made him a good choice for commanding the revolutionary army? What were his most valuable contributions to independence?
Washington would lead the Patriots to a surprising victory over Great Britain. There are many qualities that made George Washington into the great leader that he was. These qualities can be seen by the many decisions he made throughout his role as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and as President. Washington was a heroic man. As a general of the Continental Army, George Washington often rode with his troops along the front lines and brought them together during crucial battles. An example of this is before the battle of Trenton. In December of 1776, Washington personally led his troops across the icy Delaware River into New Jersey on a surprise attack on a Hessian outpost. This shows that George Washington is a brave man, as he is willing to sacrifice for his people. He also doesn’t just call orders and expect his men to comply but instead he leads them himself which shows that he is passionate about what he’s doing. Washington was also experienced when it came to military matters. His knowledge came from his experience because he had fought during the French Indian War and proved to be skilled in commanding troops. Washington was also a very wise leader; he knew that he could form an alliance with either Britain or France during the 1790’s. It was too dangerous to side with one or the other because of the political chaos in Europe. So instead he said that the United States should stay neutral. Although it took years for both nations to acknowledge the United States’ neutrality, Washington’s position for the country paid off. These were some of George Washington’s most valuable contributions to independence. Washington was gifted with the