George Washington's Rules of Civility Traced to their Sources and Restored by Moncure D. Conway

"George Washington's Rules of Civility" by Moncure D. Conway is a historical publication written in the late 19th century. The work examines the rules of civility and decorum that a young George Washington noted in a personal notebook during his formative years. The text provides insights into Washington's early character and social demeanor, shedding light on the influence of manners and etiquette in his upbringing. At the start of the book, Conway discusses the origin and significance of Washington's "Rules of Civility," written when he was around fourteen years old. The manuscript contains over one hundred rules, some of which have been damaged over time. Conway delves into the historic context of these rules, revealing their connections to earlier French and English texts on manners. Through meticulous research, the author claims to have restored the original content of the rules, suggesting that Washington's adherence to them not only reflects his upbringing but also contributed to the cultivation of civility in American society. The opening portion serves both as an introduction to the historical significance of these rules and an exploration of their impact on Washington's character. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

George Washington was a Founding Father of the United States, military officer, and farmer who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Second Continental Congress as commander of the Continental Army in 1775, Washington led Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War and then served as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the current Constitution of the United States. Washington has thus become commonly known as the "Father of his Country".