Washington, Peale, and Paine: Founders of a New Nation

Introduction: Three Revolutionary Figures

As America was finding its footing, Americans were finding their identity. The spark of revolution spread quickly, and three men responded to it in distinct ways. One took up arms, defending the country against the British and securing the role of president of a new nation. A second took up the pen and wrote to inspire the reluctant to declare independence from an unjust Britain. A third took up the brush to establish a painted history of the American Revolution and founded the first museums to showcase it. Three notable figures — George Washington, Charles Willson Peale, and Thomas Paine — became among the most influential men of their time.

George Washington: Soldier and Statesman

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 (or February 11, 1731) and died on December 14, 1799. He was alive during the American Revolution and played a pivotal role in America's victory over Great Britain. He became the first President of the United States (1789–1797), the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States (Burns & Dunn, 2004, p. 35). He presided over the convention that drafted the Constitution, which replaced the Articles of Confederation and established the office of the presidency.

Washington was born to wealthy plantation owners in Colonial Virginia. His family owned slaves and cultivated tobacco. The death of his father led Washington to rely on tutors for his elementary education rather than attending England's Appleby School, as his older brothers had done (Burns & Dunn, 2004, p. 45). Following the deaths of his father and older brother, Washington developed close professional ties with William Fairfax, who guided and championed his career as a surveyor and soldier.

With Fairfax's support, Washington rapidly rose through the ranks to become a senior officer in the colonial forces during the early stages of the French and Indian War (Burns & Dunn, 2004, p. 122). In 1775, he was chosen by the Second Continental Congress to serve as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. After a grueling campaign in 1776, Washington drove the British from Boston. He was later defeated and nearly captured in New York City, but he regained ground and restored momentum to the Patriot cause by retaking New Jersey from the British. George Washington was, and always will be, a defining figure in American history who helped shape the country during its earliest years.

Charles Willson Peale: Painter, Soldier, and Naturalist

Charles Willson Peale was born on April 15, 1741, and died on February 22, 1827. He was an American painter, soldier, and naturalist (Peale, Richardson, Hindle, & Miller, 1983, p. xi). He is best known for his portrait paintings of leading figures of the American Revolution and for his pioneering role in establishing one of the first museums in the United States. Peale became a notable figure of the era through his celebrated paintings that documented the revolution's most important personalities.

Peale was born in 1741 in Chester, Queen Anne's County, Maryland, the son of Charles Peale and his wife Margaret (Peale, Richardson, Hindle, & Miller, 1983, p. 12). He discovered his natural talent for painting — particularly portraiture — and studied briefly under John Hesselius and John Singleton Copley. John Beale Bordley, among others, raised funds for Peale's eventual travel to England to study under Benjamin West. From 1767, Peale studied with West for three years before returning to America and settling in Annapolis, Maryland, where he taught his younger brother James Peale — himself a noted artist — how to paint portraits.

In 1776, Peale moved to Philadelphia, then the capital, where he began painting portraits of American notables and foreign dignitaries. His estate, maintained on the campus of La Salle University in Philadelphia, still welcomes visitors today. Peale's contributions to the American Revolution included raising troops for the War of Independence and attaining the rank of captain in the Pennsylvania militia (Peale, Richardson, Hindle, & Miller, 1983, p. 82). By 1776, he had participated in numerous battles and had preserved the likenesses of fellow Patriots through miniature portraits painted during his time in the field, which he later reproduced as enlarged works.

Beyond painting, Peale had a deep interest in natural history. His passion led him to organize the first U.S. scientific expedition in 1801, after which he founded what became the Philadelphia Museum, later known as Peale's American Museum — widely regarded as the first museum in America. The museum housed diverse collections of biological, botanical, and archaeological specimens inspired by his expeditions, including a large collection of birds that Peale prepared himself through self-taught taxidermy. His efforts to document notable people of his era and to create the nation's first public museum make him a truly remarkable choice among the revolutionary generation.

Conclusion

The people of the era of the American Revolution were just that — revolutionary. They were radical in their sentiments and uncompromising in their desire for change. George Washington, Charles Willson Peale, and Thomas Paine each inspired, led, and recorded a formative period in America's infancy that continues to be recognized and celebrated today. They were, and remain, remarkable men who helped give birth to a great nation.