George Washington

State: Virginia

Age at Convention: 55

Year of Death: 1799

Schooling: Private Tutoring, Honorary L.L.D. from Harvard 1776

Occupation: Surveyor, Planter and Slave Holder, General of the Continental Army, Lending and Investments, Real Estate Land Speculations, Public Security Interests

3 Most significant political experiences prior to convention: Virginia House of Burgesses 1759-1774, Continental Congress 1774-1775, Commander in Chief of Continental Army 1775-1783

Convention Contributions: President of the Convention, present at the Conventino through the signing.

Did he sign? Yes.

What did he do after the convention: He was unanimously elected as President of the United States (1788-1796).

Most interesting thing about George Washington: He had no children of his own. He married, widow, Martha Custis who had two children which Washington raised as his own but he had no offspring.

Quote: "having conducted these States to independence and peace, he now appears to assist in framing a Government to make the People happy. Like Gustavus Vasa, he made be said to be the deliverer of his Country." -William Pierce, speaking of Washington at the Convention.

Edward Rutledge (South Carolina)

1. How well did the character in the film portray the historical figure?

For the most part, he was portrayed well in the film. He was young and charasmatic and was adament that the colonies should explore every opportunity for reconcilliation with Great Britian.

2. What did the film get right? In other words, what was accurate?

The film accurately portrayed his youth and charisma and his weariness to break away from England. He was very young compared to the other members of the Continental Congress and was somewhat overwhelmed with such a monumental decision and that was portrayed well in the film.

3. What was dramatized? Distorted? or Exaggerated?

His brashness and bold defiance of the sepratists was most likely an exaggeration becuase in reality he was very much a proponent of colonial rights and simply wished to explore all options for reconcilliation with England as not to upset the the basic social structure of life in the South.

4. What was the figure's role in signing the Declaration of Independence?

He was the youngest of 56 delegates to sign the Declaration of Independence and was important in leading a successful effort to remove wording in the Declaration that codemned slavery.

5. Anything interesting you found out about the person?

Rutledge was a main character in the Musical play 1776 in which he sings the song "Molasses to Rum" about slavery and the Triangle Trade. He is said to have died from apoplexy (a word referring to extreme rage or excitement) upon reading about the death of George Washington.