As both soldier and statesman, George Washington played a pivotal role in the establishment of the United States of America, from the 1750s until his death in 1799. Washington could be found at the center of events during both the French and Indian War (1754–1763) and the American Revolution. As commander in chief of the Continental army during the Revolutionary War (1775– 1783), he led the fledgling country through years of dismal, often uncertain conflict. After a brief retirement, Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Following two terms as the nation’s first president, he retired to his plantation of Mount Vernon, dying on December 14, 1799.