The first President of the United States, George Washington, is one of the most recognizable people in history, not just because he is on the quarter and the dollar bill. Leading the colonies to independence from Britain, Washington is full of well-known and hidden facets you may not know. Keep reading for six weird facts about George Washington, and learn more about the first President of the United States.
6. George Washington had no biological children
Our sixth selection of weird facts about George Washington centers around the lack of offspring. There has never been a definitive answer as to why Washington couldn’t conceive, with theories ranging from George’s early bouts with smallpox or tuberculosis to Martha’s case of measles. Washington did become a father since Martha Custis had two young children already: John Parke Custis and Martha Parke Custis. He was fond of them and was torn apart when 17-year-old Martha passed from a seizure.
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5. Better spymaster than general
Coming in fifth on our weird facts about George Washington list relates to Washington’s prowess as both spymaster and general. Washington struggled to win the Revolutionary War with an army that was undermanned, undertrained, and undersupplied. To turn the tide, he relied on a secret intelligence network, and Washington’s spies helped him make bold, canny decisions that would win the war and even save his life.
The world of Washington’s spies is full of intrigue, with letters written in invisible ink, a female agent who went by the name Agent 355, an African-American double agent, and a patriot tailor who collected information while designing clothes for British officers.
4. Only had a grade school education
While Washington was commended for his quick thinking and intelligence on the battlefield, his formal education ended at 11 years old after his father passed. Losing the ability to be educated in England, Washington instead learned how to run a tobacco farm and became a land surveyor at 16. Washington also missed getting a college education but was self-taught in several fields which ended up helping him more in the French and Indian War than a more formal education.
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3. Was a mule breeder
Rounding out the top three weird facts about George Washington is that the former President was a mule breeder. This may seem quite weird at first, but Washington had an affinity for taking care of animals, such as birds and canines, specifically breeding the hunting dogs for speed. Back to the mules, Washington was the first mule breeder, which is a mix between a horse and a donkey. He recognized the value of the mule for farmers, and is believed to have created the mule stock that powered American agriculture in the South for generations.
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2. His teeth were not made of wood
If you know about George Washington, then you’ve probably heard about his famous wooden teeth. Well, this is not actually true. Landing second on the weird facts about George Washington’s list, his teeth were created instead from a combination of gold, ivory, carved animal bone, and human teeth from his slaves. These fake teeth caused him great discomfort and were one of the reasons the first President rarely smiled.
1. Defied death several times
Last but not least, on our weird facts about George Washington list is his ability to avoid life-threatening situations. Throughout his life, Washington contracted diphtheria, tuberculosis, smallpox, malaria, dysentery, Quinsy, carbuncle, and pneumonia. He also survived a near drowning in an ice-clogged river, the burning at Fort Necessity, two horses being shot out from under him, and four bullets passing close enough to pierce his clothing.
What did kill him then? A cold. Technically referred to as epiglottitis, the infection in the back of the throat was treated poorly by doctors with limited technology, and he passed not long after.
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