| Summary: | George Washington's relatively obscure beginnings did not preclude him from admiring and acquainting himself with chivalrous role models and genteel guidelines. Longing for recognition, Washington sought opportunities to serve his influential patrons to merit their further approbation. The dissertation sets Washington's aspirations in the context of honor-based sociocultural milieu of his day and thus provides the reader with an insight into the conventional aspects of his ascent to the upper echelons of the colonial society of Virginia. At the time of the Revolution, Washington's military reputation, leadership, and admirable character earned him a unanimous election to the chief command of the American armies. The complexity of Washington's venture of accepting, exercising, and ultimately resigning the supreme military powers in relation to his reputation and sense of patriotic duty is thoroughly analyzed. Key words: George Washington, convention, ascent, ambition, patriotism, virtue
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