What Would George Do?: The Rules of Civility

Good day! My name is George Washington. I grew up at Ferry Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Like you, I spent much of my childhood on my schooling. One special assignment I remember was copying down “The Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation.” I carefully scratched each of the 110 rules onto paper with my quill feather and ink.

First collected by French priests in 1595, the Rules of Civility described the correct behavior and manners of a proper gentleman in the 1700s. I would try to live according to these rules for the rest of my life. Ultimately, these rules helped set me on the path to command the Continental Army and serve as the first President of the United States.

A joint project of my friends at the National Society of Children of the American Revolution and The George Washington Foundation, these webpages explore my early life, the rules of conduct by which I lived, and the foundations of citizenship I learned at Ferry Farm. On these webpages, you can also learn about the timeless Rules of Civility and discover how you might live by them today.