George Washington's Will

A will is the last piece of documentation you would expect to gain insight to a persons thought process and personality. However, George Washington's will surprisingly humanizes a man who has been immortalized in history books and public statues. Join us as we visit the Fairfax County Courthouse, and learn about the personal side few know of the historical giant.This includes his devotion to managing his properties, his vision for the future of the USA, and his views on slavery.
More on Washington's will: www.mountvernon.org/digital-en...

[@cecilianesouza1569]

This documents should be on National Archives . Is fantastic!

[@Austin8thGenTexan]

I think it's wonderful that George Washington produced a holographic will, and it's worth noting that he was a surveyor by vocation. He had probably walked every property and knew the landmarks and markers - every mete and bound.

[@eutytoalba]

Considering the other accomplishments of the inventor of the Surveyors Chain that Washington probably used, and Washington's affiliation with the Freemasons, I expect he even knew his land-plots' geographical relation to astronomy. 🤔🌌

[@audreyann1975]

I love your videos! I'm so interested in our Founding Fathers. They were brilliant!

[@ericbrandon6504]

I just found this channel and it’s awesome!!!

[@brendaparker3107]

Great job again!

[@nauniwhitewave-runningmout4526]

Me too I love it

[@NeTxGrl]

Nice handwriting. I wonder how easy it was to write with a quill? Amazing man.

[@eutytoalba]

Depends on the quill... I wonder how easy it was to cut your own with the pen knives they had handy at the time. 😱

[@janineharrison5186]

Looking forward to the other episodes!

[@barbaraprater2180]

So much fabulous information!! Thanks so much for all these interesting videos!!

[@kenj.8897]

Thanks for doing these fine videos .

[@kurtstuckman7231]

This is fascinating, love it!!

[@nauniwhitewave-runningmout4526]

This channel is a great find for me!!! Thank u..... I am from upstate New York, I live close to Saratoga Battle Field!!! It's so beautiful there.

[@eutytoalba]

I LOVE the line about his swords... And how, in multiple instances in other writings, he expresses the necessity of self-restraint when considering the use of arms and not being overly jubilant at the demise of an enemy. Not only was George as merely-human as anyone else, he was actually considerate. I'm a millennial with a long background in Japanese martial arts, and always found the esoteric connection between brush calligraphy and swordsmanship fascinating..... I finally realized that Cursive writing is the English language equivalent, as if I needed any deeper reason to feel DISGUSTED by the death of Cursive handwriting within my personal generation. So, just for mad funsises, I've been scraping together a few digital scans of historically significant hand-written documents to make a worksheet for myself and others. I want that sword line to be one of the very first, as well as a few sentences from George's own famous handwriting practice as a boy. I called it 'mad funsies', AND I MEANT IT! 😁 Btw, times have CLEARLY changed, but I found in a tiny antiquarian handbook about correspondence formatting that one's quality of handwriting was originally how one's education-level was judged at a glance by others, in eras before credentials-certificates mounted on every office wall. A simple hand presented a simpleton, etc... 🤔 From that, I privately conclude that writing in Print (gradually phased into American schools since the late 1800s with incremental shifts toward simplification over demonstrative elegance, generation by generation) is how slaves were probably taught, of the few who were taught at all. Print is slave script! Adults writing like children! 🤔 The Irish of the diaspora were forbidden to learn literacy at all by the British; my great-someodd grandfather from that era had to copy numbers down at the end of his workday and ask his children what the numbers actually read, so that he knew what his next work assignment was from day to day as a dock loader. (Family oral history.) As one of millions of tragically DIS-EDUCATED Millennials, browsing digital scans of historic hand-written documents on the Library of Congress website-the struggle is real, bruh. 🥺 I'm grateful for the internet, and for everyone who puts authentic, ORIGINAL-SOURCE material on it for public reference. 🥹 The restorative education is now here for the taking, not that everybody realizes why it's necessary.... Plenty of people all over the world don't even realize why literacy is necessary at all. I found this out from a cousin who does foreign charity work; Americans like to donate books to poor countries, and the charity he worked with was sick of them because they just aren't valued the same on the recieving end, and all those books just get wet and rot! 😭 I'm less inclined to think my generation is ANY better-now that I know my peers generally don't even care about not being able to read old handwriting, even legal documents of the highest consequence and modern relevance. 😱 Dependent on typed transcripts- secondhandism, implicit trust in interpreters and intercedents, social superiors aka MASTERS! -are we? 🤨 And that's only regarding the people who even bother to read whole transcripts at all, instead of just the condensed notes, or even just taking an activist's word on the spot because they actually collect a paycheck for hearsay and that *mystically* validates it. 😝

[@drake8065]

5 gold stars

[@richarddenise3886]

Thank you ever so much !!!!

[@dallastaylor5479]

Why didn't George just free his slaves and hire them as farm workers? They would be able to stay close to their families and make a living.

[@mountvernon]

Marcia, a very excellent question and idea. One that Washington along with the Marquise de Lafayette also did consider. According to Washington's letters the idea more failed on the ability to find competent people that Washington could trust to oversee and manage the farms to ensure that revenues needed to maintain the estate were managed. You can learn more about it on our website: www.mountvernon.org/digital-encyclopedia/article/marquis-de-lafayettes-plan-for-slavery/

[@kentamitchell]

Washington did not own the majority of the slaves at Mount Vernon- they were part of a trust Martha's 1st husband established for her.

[@dionnefrancis-brown1533]

Because he was an evil man

[@BigRed2]

KentA Mitchell This is about the slaves he did own, nobody is talking about Martha’s slaves, it’s funny that he couldn’t free them when alive because he needed slaves to serve him

[@Cangelo629]

Many of those slaves were from the Custis family of his wife Martha Custis side of the family he had no say over them. Washinton knew if he freed his slaves those slaves from the Custis estate would or could be sold off tearing apart families that married between each other something he and his slaves didnt want to happen. The last two decades of his life he was conflicted regarding slavery and hoped of a gradual dissipation I Of the institution. G.w. writings regarding his own will expose his feelings along with known private and public conversation he had regarding slavery

[@kevinchambers4848]

A question to the mount Vernon blog. In the famous painting of the Washington family that includes his black man servant, was the servant named in the will and also, has there been any thought after all the Hemmings investigation, that the man servant possibly could have been a half brother to Washington through Washington's brother? I ask because of the fact he was included into the painting and was so loyal to Washington.

[@Prilla1780]

Where is part two of this episode?

[@torieckstein3175]

Haha I found this after researching how old he was when he died, (he was 67, btw) but this was absolutely fascinating!

[@yvetteaguirre9522]

Looking forward to next two parts! I realized that I know SQUAT of our first president. I’m so ready to be schooled!

[@shable1436]

Refreshing to see young ppl so interested in early American history, it is so important to learn the time periods and how they affected the decisions of the country's fathers, and how changes through history has molded different veiws on everything you could possibly think of and more. Its the great freedom project, and you can see where it gets derailed and changed and fixed over and over, we are still learning today.

[@finalfantasy3808]

George washington was visited by an angel in his tent in 1777. The angel showed him 3 perils that would come to America. One was the Revolutionary war, the second was the Civil War, and the third was the most fearful of all. The third showed a demon army as dark clouds coming to America from different nations all over the world. It formed into one large cloud with red eyes and covered the United States. Washington then heard the American people fighting with each other, buildings burning, and chaos. People were crying out to God. Then the angel in the dream sounded a Trumpet with a fearful strong blast and a light brighter than a thousand suns lit up the sky and pushed back the demonic cloud. The angel said: "The most fearful is the third [peril]. In this greatest conflict, the world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the republic learn to live for his God, his land, and the union." Afterward, the angel who had a crown with the word "Union" engraved, placed the crown on the "national standard" (I think that's the American flag), and the people as they bowed said "Amen". George washington then said: "With these words the vision vanished and I started from my seat and felt I had seen a vision wherein had been shown me the birth, progress, and destiny of the United States."

[@ILUVMYRTLEBEACHSC]

For some reason I cannot find the link for the next video on GW's will. Can someone help a gal out here? Thanks!

[@pizzlesauce]

Im trying as well. Can't find it

[@mattmf01]

where is his will located at now?

[@mtman2]

There would be NO America as "WE the People" know it hadn't George Washington made it happen over & over...THANK YOU

[@davetreichel4308]

Is the will on line?

[@mountvernon]

Yes, the text of his will can be found at the bottom of our Digital Encyclopedia page: www.mountvernon.org/digital-encyclopedia/article/george-washingtons-will/

[@davetreichel4308]

How about the actual will?

[@mountvernon]

Mount Vernon does not have images of the actual will as they are managed by Fairfax County. You can learn more on their website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/circuit/washington-wills

[@eutytoalba]

​@@mountvernon I was able to find it! Thank you VERY much for the link! 😁

[@kevinwatkins6615]

Wow. That was really great of him to order those people to be freed after he died. I hear he also gave away ice in the winter

[@farnorthhomested844]

I did not know it was so long. from other videos I saw. on his death bed he had 2 wills. he had his wife put one in the fire after reading them both. this person must of had a lot of energy. getting up at 5am and eating dinner at 9pm. doing what ever in between. a national institution, just one, would be a good idea today. I wonder what happened to the money that was allotted for that.

[@shawnaweesner3759]

Of course Washington had a lot of energy, he had a lot of slaves to do his bidding, and all the difficult labor.

[@thcdelirious1235]

I don't think you guys understand. Back then, slavery was normal, almost every white man had a slave in the early days. It was part of the economy. But that doesn't mean he's a bad guy. He actually cared about his slaves, he would let them have days off when too tired or sick. He freed some of his slaves in his will but said the others must be freed after Martha's death bc he didn't want to break up the slave families created by George and Martha's slaves. But the slaves got their freedom in 1801. George had a problem with slavery and thought of ways to get rid of it, but based on the times, that proved impossible. Jefferson didn't mistreat his slaves, nor did Madison or Monroe. Just bc they had slaves does not mean they were bad people.

[@eutytoalba]

I have a lower opinion of everyone today who buys blindly from manufacturers unknown. At least slave owners had the potential to play fair judge, and some did and some didn't, but people who live lifestyles of buying goods site unseen may not have laid their own hands on anyone, deserved or otherwise, but blindly *potentially* facilitate much grander abuses as if they don't even care. I don't support denied wages or human captivity, let alone physical and verbal abuse, but I can see through the eyes of those times that they were all thinking-if they don't do this, then everyone already under their roof STARVES to death; and at least it's better to take care of discipline yourself than to let some other schmuck deal it worse. True, some were sadists, but at least those who sincerely believed in places like Hell and Heaven also believed that how they handled their slaves is how God has sworn to handle their eternal souls in turn. A thing that didn't exist at the time were homes for the elderly and disabled; giving household chores in exchange for housing and food to old and/or disabled folks who couldn't keep their own lives together, most likely due to lack of a sophisticated contemporary education, probably didn't feel so bad to most "ownership"-papers holders. That doesn't justify restraining anyone from leaving, but it does shed some light on the insistence that everybody work; a parasitic bum is just as bad as a slave-owner, of the slave-owners who didn't join their crew in the fields as a working hand. My understanding of G. Washington is that, his whole adult life long, there was no place he would have rather been than personally laboring on his own farm; this separated him from idle aristocracy who wore slaves and paid servants around themselves like jewelry. Modern times are soooo much better. Pffft... Western kids STILL grow up in workhouses where the workhouses are paid by the head for mere attendance, only the kids aren't making meaningful products anymore or even seeing a dime of it in direct personal compensation. High and mighty our times are not-maybe slave owners (kidnapping wage-withholders) were all jackasses to some variable degree, but at least they were more aware of it than anyone today seems to be of their own freeloading disgraces.

[@gilgalbiblewheel6313]

I wonder if George Washington is related to Francis Pope, who owned the land which turned out to be Washington DC, since he did have a last name Pope in his genealogy?

[@JENDALL714]

In my family, if you're in the Will, you weren't loved very much by the deceased.

[@Ian260m]

I though it said George Washington’s Wii lol

[@josephz9006]

Not long enough

[@alorahendershot7264]

tomorrow is my birthday i am turning 15 tomorrow

[@davestelling]

Happy Birthday, Alora!!!

[@biggredd87]

Happy belated birthday 🥳🎉

[@shable1436]

Im torn between him being a slave owner, not just any, but a huge plantation, and him feeling sorry for them, but yet needs them. I think its either one way or the other, i mean the guilt didn't make him sleep in the bunk house, and he owned so many, he could have let a bunch go up north if he was as compassionate about them as stated here, i find all slave owners are guilty of this, even my family history had only couple of slaves, one had to be very rich to own slaves and tp be rich you had to be ruthless and insensitive to others, thats just the plain facts. He was a great military leader, but the morals of all the early leaders were just corrupt from the eyes of the truth that they thought of ppl in classes, blacks being not even in a class but barely human

[@NeTxGrl]

Slavery hasn't gone away. We benefit from modern day slavery. Many things you buy on a regular basis come from people's misery in other parts of the world like technology, textiles foods ect. In the coming centuries they'll wonder why we did so little about it and look at us as evil. Africans sold and enslaved their own. They had them waiting in cages. The Barbary slave trade were Europeans were caught as slaves for Africans. Slavery has existed since the beginning of mankind. Learn how to put things into the context of their time. If Washington was living today he would not have been a slave owner. If YOU were born back then and were wealthy with a large plantation you would have been a slave owner.

[@mtman2]

Would you indoctrinated children grow up - that was the world then- you childish people are naive about most everything and have no real clue about history...! There are more slaves today then ever before...! WHY don't you whiners who poke at the past you've no honest grasp of -> and ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING about child sex trafficking esp coming over the Southern Border by the millions illegally...! This as 8•million children a year go missing worldwide...?

[@Eman-pf4zz]

Still going on today… Every race every & background was enslaved or enslaved others throughout history

[@wtf9535]

Excuse me but... why the hell aren’t they wearing gloves? Don’t you dare touch those priceless documents with your bare hands and destroy them with your oils. Good lord almighty. 🙄

[@galndixie]

The documents are encased to protect them, no gloves needed. The encasement takes care of that.

[@toytoyrae5289]

🙄😏 whatever Washington

[@kenyaw5752]

He was not a good human. No person who thought he should own another person AND thought they were less than is evil.

[@ednakelley814]

Virginia law made it illegal for him to sale or free those slaves which were inherited from Martha's first husband. A tad studying would help you see more and goes along way. But great job at virtue signaling.

[@growingoldnotsogracefully1661]

Martha let some of her slaves go free because she was afraid they would retaliate against her and she didn’t want to feed and clothe them anymore, after George died. George owned slaves separate from Marth’s that he didn’t free. Edna is a slave apologist

[@AmazingStoryDewd]

He was a good man but a flawed one. One of the best presidents we ever had.

[@suziecreamcheese211]

Kenya W next time you shop at Walmart just remember YOU own slaves.

[@suziecreamcheese211]

Growingoldnot sogracefully next time you shop at Walmart, and I know you do, remember YOU own slaves. You need to apologize!

[@fastsetinthewest]

You're going to have to close the George Washington site and go on unemployment. Remember Byzantine Iconoclasm. If we don't agree with past, we take down the memorial. Come on man, Washington was a slave owner. Regards...

[@ChuckMcC]

Fastestinthewest Do you pay taxes?

[@fastsetinthewest]

Son's of Liberty I haven't paid IRS taxes in the last 7 years. The last time I paid the IRS, I wrote a check out for $30,000. regards...

[@SandyzSerious]

Fastestinthewest It was part of the past. We can learn from the past, and improve. But to deny the past, we learn nothing.

[@fastsetinthewest]

Don mcfadden Washington ain't no hero. Read some real history. Washington was a slave owner. Byzantine Iconoclasm is real dude. Don't you get it?

[@jmitterii2]

Fastestinthewest Thank you for demonstrating drugs are bad. mMMM k. :)