In 1774 and 1775 he served as a member of the continental congress.
In 1775 fighting between the British and colonial troops started, the continental congress choose Washington to lead the army called the continental army.
The winter of Valley Forge was hard but Washington held the army together, the fighting still continued until the British surrendered in 1781.
Washington became the first president of the United States, he took the office on April 30, 1787 he was reelected in 1792 with John Adams as his Vice President.
He retired as president in March 1797 and died on December 14, 1799 of a throat infection.
In 1800 the U.S. capital was moved from Philadelphia to the new city of Washington D.C. named in honor of the first president.