Would you help me about George Washington?

Question

I'm not U. S., so you need to explain me some references in U. S. TV shows in connection with Washington.

1. What is the big deal about his wooden teeth?
2. What is that picture of him standing at the front of a boat?
3. Why is a piece of his portrait missing?

Thanks.

Answer 1

He had bad teeth and had lost many of them by the time he was 16. He was self conscious about them. The actual dentures were made of ivory, horse teeth and extracted human teeth with little if any wood in them. There were several pairs, none of which were very comfortable or practical, many had to be taken out for him to be able to eat or speak clearly.

That's a highly romanticized picture of him crossing the Delaware river to make a surprise attack on an encampment of German mercenaries during the American war of Independence. No one in their right mind would have been standing up in a rowboat crossing an ice clogged river.

It was either not finished or was the one first lady Dolly Madison had to rip out of it's frame to keep it from falling into British hands during the war of 1812 when the British captured Washington DC. If memory serves the British set fire to the white house.

Answer 2

Supposedly, he had wooden dentures. They've found some made of ivory, and a pair made by Paul Revere, but no wooden ones, so it may be a myth, like several other stories about him. His dentures also hurt him a lot; that's why he always has that funny expression. The picture of him crossing the Delaware is to commemorate that he led his men across the Delaware to attack the British during the winter by surprise. This is probably artistic license, since on one in his right mind would stand up in a boat that size. I think the artist died before he could finish the painting.

Answer 3

1. Don't you think it's interesting that someone had wooden false teeth?
2. That's supposed to be him crossing the Delaware river with his troops for a sneak attack on German troops. There were German troops here helping the British.
3. I'm not sure about the answer to that one. Obviously the painting was never finished, but I don't know what the story is.

Answer 4

Question 2.....it is a very fake picture (you know they didn't have video back then) of Washington crossing to fight a battle on Christmas night 1776. This battle surprised the Hessians and started to get America thinking that it had a chance to win the war.

Answer 5

The portrait is unfinished I believe. G W is an icon of American history. He was also one of the greatest real estate speculators of his time along with his family in the Ohio company. The Indians called him" Town destroyer" Canitoquereous somt ething like that. The name was origianly given to his grand father then it became his. He sent 4000 men to destroy the Iroqois during the Revolution.

Answer 6

it says here that george washingtons teeth were made out of wool??? lol nah. dentures were a new thing back then. i heard he even had carved ivory hippo teeth for dentures!

2 crossing the deliware "what a pompose pose"

3. i belive the artist that was painting him died and was unable to finish the painting so in his honor like many other great arts they left it half done.

Answer 7

1. It wasent common

2.Revolutionary war

3. No clue

for info about him

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington