Presidents’ Day: five facts you didn’t know about George Washington

Although today has culturally morphed into Presidents' Day over the years, the official holiday is George Washington's birthday -- even though Washington was born on February 22. Here are five little-known facts about the original founding father.

2. He never attended college

AP Photo/Richard Drew
In this file photo from last month, a woman looks at the sculpture "George Washington" by Hiram Powers, in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York.

In fact, Washington had no formal education at all. Just like their father, Washington's two older brothers were sent across the Atlantic Ocean to attend school in England at Appleby School. But when his father died, the promise of George's formal education ended. Instead, he received the equivalent of an elementary school education from a variety of tutors, and he also spent time at a school run by an Anglican clergyman in Virginia. 

2 of 5
You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.