Washington's Resignation
- When
- 1783
- Where
- Old Senate Chamber, Maryland State House, Annapolis; Fraunces Tavern; Maryland State House, Annapolis
- Episodes
- 3
On 23 December 1783 George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army before the Congress of the Confederation, meeting in the Maryland State House in Annapolis. The act, performed in his final appearance in uniform, closed his eight-year command and was acclaimed at home and abroad as a signal event setting the country's political course.
Episodes
- Farewell to officers at Fraunces Tavern
In early December 1783 Washington bade farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern shortly before resigning his command.
- Resignation of commission at Annapolis
Washington resigned as commander-in-chief before Congress in the Old Senate Chamber of the Maryland State House on 23 December 1783.
- Acclaim and historical assessment
The resignation was acclaimed at home and abroad and later extolled by historians as a signal event setting the country's political course.
Background and detail
Background. Washington had been appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in 1775 and led Patriot forces to victory in the Revolutionary War, culminating in the decisive Franco-American victory at Yorktown in 1781. The Treaty of Paris, signed on 3 September 1783, saw Britain officially recognize American independence, removing the military purpose of his command.
Annapolis and the State House. From 26 November 1783 to 13 August 1784, Annapolis served as the capital of the United States, and the Congress of the Confederation met in the Maryland State House. The building, dating to 1772, served in 1783 and 1784 as the capitol of the Congress of the Confederation.
Significance. Washington's resignation was acclaimed at home and abroad, and was extolled by later historians as a signal event that set the country's political course. In a final appearance in uniform, he commended the interests of the country to the protection of Almighty God in a statement to Congress.
People involved
- George Washington · Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, resigning his commission
- Congress of the Confederation · Body before which Washington resigned his commission
Sources
- George Washington Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
- Maryland State House Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-05
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.