The Life of George Washington, Vol. 1: Prelude to Independence

The Life of George Washington, Volumes 1-5, was published by John Marshall between 1804 and 1807. Marshall was uniquely suited to write this biography of our first President. He served under General Washington in the American Revolution, and after the new nation was formed, he was President Washington’s Attorney General. As a personal friend of Washington and a participant in America’s founding, John Marshall gives Americans a front-row seat to the life and service of the father of our country.

In this first volume, we have what Marshall calls “an introduction, containing a compendious view of the colonies planted by the English on the continent of north America, from their settlement to the commencement of that war which terminated in their independence.” With scant mention of Washington, it instead sets the stage for his greatness by describing the events of the American colonies from 1495 to 1775. Marshall lays the groundwork for the time when Washington would take his place in history. From the discovery of the North American continent by Cabot, through the various charters and settlements all along the Atlantic coast, to the French and Indian War, and into the American Revolution, Marshall illustrates to readers which events, both large and small, led to the eventual breaking free from Britain.

Alone, it is an incredibly detailed evolution of the American Colonies. As the first part of this 5-volume work, it is a detailed early American history! Read the exciting story of the United States as it evolves from a handful of seperate colonies to a united confederacy intent on winning its freedom from a tyrannical monarch.