Notes on George Washington’s Birthday

Welcome to the Third Monday in February – it is Presidents’ Day! But when is George Washington’s birthday??

Conventional history-book answer: February 22^nd, 1732.

Washington family bible says:

George Washington, son to Augustine and Mary his wife, was born ye 11^th day of February 1731/32 about 10 in the morning, and was baptized on the 30^th of April following.

Discussion points:

• It was February 11^th in England and colonial America, but February 22^nd in Mexico, Scotland and France! (Julian versus Gregorian calendar)
• Why the double date? New Year’s day in England was at that time March 25^th. And so the dates during his birth year were:
• March 25, 1731 to December 31, 1731
• January 1, 1731 to March 24, 1731
• March 25, 1732 --- Happy New Year!
• Note that April 30^th was in the “following” year. Was there a February 29^th a couple of weeks after George was born?
• But in 1752, England adopted the Gregorian Calendar! And so the dates during that year were:
• March 25, 1750 to March 24, 1750 (365 days)
• March 25, 1751 to December 31, 1751 (282 days)
• January 1, 1752 to September 2, 1752
• September 14, 1752 to December 31, 1752 (355 days)
• January 1, 1753 to December 31, 1753 (365 days)
• The legal holiday
• Washington’s birthday and Lincoln’s birthday
• The 3 day weekend (1968)

Reference for this discussion: Marking Time, by Duncan Steel