George Washington is one of the most prominent figures in American history and the first president of the United States of America. Washington believed that the proclamation line that was enforced after the Proclamation Act of 1763 was a ‘temporary’ barrier. As part of the elite class, Washington made large profits from land speculation and saw the end of the French Indian War a chance to speculate large tracts of fertile land past the Appalachians Washington opposed the Stamp Act and believed that the British parliament had ‘no right to put their hands into my pockets without consent’. This was the notion of ‘no taxation without representation’ which was promoted by firebrands such as Patrick Henry, Richard Bland and James Otis. Washington also led continent wide boycotts against the Townshend Act in 1768-69 and approved the Fairfax Resolves in 1774.  He was appointed as Commander in Chief of Army in 1775 and thus united New England with the South. Although he desired to become an officer in the British army, he was consistently denied due to his bloodlines. The hereditary elitism which existed within Britain led to Washington being seen as inferior to the British elite and thus unable to be part of the British officers. Throughout the Revolutionary War his early strategy of retreat saved the Continental Army from outright defeat. His victories at the Battle of Trenton and Princeton saved the army and gave a morale boost encouraging men to re-enlist. It also helped to secure the support of the French government. After the war, he was elected chairman at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He was a Federalist and supported the ratification process, after seeing the ineptitude of the Articles of Confederation which could not adequately fund the war effort and led to social and economic ruin. Washington was elected the first president of the United States in 1789 and served for four year.