- "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence."
- — George Washington
George Washington is a character in the musical Hamilton. He is the President of the United States and is portrayed by Christopher Jackson.
Portrait of President George Washington
Biography
Act One
Washington made his first major appearance leading his men during the Revolutionary War. After leading many battles, he discovers he needs a right-hand man to help. He is first encountered by Aaron Burr, who believes he can be a suitable right-hand man, however, Washington pushes him away when he meets Alexander Hamiltion. Washington was impressed by his work in the Revolutionary War when he stole British cannons, and Washington was one of the many that wanted Hamilton on his side, which Hamilton gladly accepted. ("Right Hand Man")
Now that Hamilton is his right-hand man, Washington is able to win many battles of the Revolutionary War. However, things start to go downhill once Hamilton duels with General Lee after he was trashing Washington's name. Washington tries to compromise with Hamilton, but after a nervous outbreak, and by the request of his wife, Elizabeth Schuyler, he sends Hamilton home ("Meet Me Inside")
Washington and his men now hit a rough spot in the Revolutionary War. In order to win, they need to ambush them in Yorktown, take them out before they hit the coast, and the only one Washington believes can do this is Hamilton, so he goes to Hamilton's home and requests him to come back. ("Guns And Ships")
With Hamilton back in charge, Washington tells him about his past, how he leads his army into battle, only for them to be slaughtered. Then he wishes Hamilton off, telling him that history has its eyes on him ("History Has Its Eyes On You"), then goes off to lead his men into Yorktown and they conquer the British, winning the Revolutionary War ("Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)")
Washington then becomes the First President of the United States, and he chooses Hamilton to be the First Secretary of Treasury ("Non-Stop")
Act Two
Washington, now president, must come up with a good government to keep America going strong, so he holds a cabinet battle, where Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, having returned from Paris, duel to see if Hamilton's ideal government is worth pursuing. After the battle starts to fall apart, Washington separates the opponents and talks with Hamilton. Washington believes that Hamilton needs to get the people to vote for him, while Hamilton believes otherwise, to which Washington tells him to figure out on his own. (Cabinet Battle #1)
Washington then calls another cabinet battle, this time to see if the people should help the French with their battle against the British. Jefferson believes they should because they help the colonists during the Revolutionary War, so it is what friends do, but Hamilton believes America is too delicate to mess up in a battle, to which Washington agrees wholeheartedly. ("Cabinet Battle 2")
Later on, Washington believes that America can't progress with him remaining as president, so he decides to step down for the sake of his country that he built, much to the dismay of Hamilton and the people. Now with Jefferson and John Adams running for president, Washington goes back to Mount Vernon to live out the rest of his days. ("One Last Time")