What made George Washington such a profoundly effective leader? That’s the question we asked Dr. Doug Bradburn, the founding director of Mount Vernon’s Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington.

In this episode of the Grateful American™ TV Show, co-hosts David Bruce Smith and Hope Katz Gibbs interview the historian and expert on George Washington. We think you’ll be fascinated by the insights that Bradburn provides about the man behind the myth.

In this video you’ll learn:

1. A brief history of Washington’s early days. Washington’s father died when he was just 11 years old, and because he had two other brothers at the time — Lawrence and Augustine — his mother didn’t have enough money to send him to school in Europe. How do you think that impacted him?
2. About Washington’s character. For instance, Martha Washington’s first husband, Daniel Custis, died after they had been married for seven years. She had four children with him, but only two lived — Martha (Patsy) and John (Jacky). Was George Washington a good father to his stepchildren? And what kind of husband was he?
3. Insight into Washington’s leadership skills. In addition to being a visionary who believed in the ideal of true independence, some of the systems he put into place are still in existence today.
4. The facts behind Washington’s reputation as an incredibly honest man.
5. The shocking truth about Washington’s masterful spy skills. Bradburn tells us about the secret Culper Ring, and the special invisible ink (invented by British doctor John Jay, who became the first chief justice of the United States), which Washington called Sympathetic Stain, or “white ink.”

For additional information, click on our video below, starring Doug Bradburn, on the Grateful American™ TV Show.

And be sure to check out our website, packed with fascinating facts, in-depth interviews, and more at www.GratefulAmericanFoundation.com.

Here’s to restoring enthusiasm in American history for kids, and adults, too!