How George Washington Got Involved in the American Revolution

In 1753, at the age of twenty-one, George Washington was sent to negotiate with the French and the American Indians on behalf of the British government. The next year, Washington, in charge of a party of men on their way to build a British fort at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, attacked a group of French soldiers, killing their officer, although the British and French were not at war at the time. This act was widely regarded as an important factor in the outbreak of The Seven Years’ War between American Indians and the French on the one hand, and the British on the other. For the first five years of that war, Washington was an important player on the British side. In fact, he tried hard to become a regular officer in the British Army, although without success. When he resigned, his commanding officer was surprised and disappointed, but praised young Washington as an excellent officer who had the deepest trust in the British.