George Washington, Volume II

In the years after the Revolutionary War, George Washington settled back into a life that blended the ordinary with the extraordinary. He tended his extensive landholdings, corresponded with merchants across the Atlantic, and pursued agricultural innovations that reflected his lifelong curiosity. Yet his responsibilities extended beyond the farm; he cared for his aging mother, oversaw his wife's grandchildren, and mentored his own nephews, offering guidance through countless letters.

Even as he cherished domestic peace, Washington could not ignore the young nation's unresolved challenges. He wrote tirelessly to Congress and military leaders, urging a stronger peace establishment and the protection of western frontier forts that he feared might fall to British influence. His vision for opening the West through inland navigation and his belief in America's future as an “infant empire” reveal a mind constantly looking ahead.