Beginning his lifelong association with the Virginia backcountry in 1748 when he started surveying the sparsely populated, often perilous region, Washington's entire early career and rise to national prominence was linked to the Western frontier. Only through understanding this relationship between the man and the region can we understand Virginia's lifelong impact on the founder. This collection of essays explores the role that the geography and diverse inhabitants of this burgeoning area played in molding Washington's life, temperament, and politics. Written by authoritative Washington scholars—including John E. Ferling, Don Higginbotham, Robert D. Mitchell, Dorothy Twohig, Bruce A. Ragsdale, J. Frederick Fausz, and Philander D. Chase—these essays present the young leader against the complex and changing backdrop of the West. As a whole, this book offers a fine and multi-faceted analysis of the environmental factors that influenced the development of America's founder. Individually, each essay demonstrates that Washington's story and Virginia's are the same tale—no where else are "place" and "personality" so closely linked.