George Washington is a man who made history. He was the commander-in-chief who led the American colonies to victory in the Revolutionary War. As the nation’s first president, he defined the role, and he could have served more than two terms but chose to step down.
Presidents’ Day was originally called Washington’s Birthday, though it was later changed to honor both Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays. George Washington is a giant in American history, but he was also a man. A farmer, to be exact.
At Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate in Virginia, he grew tobacco, wheat, corn, and potatoes. Hemp was one of the farm’s consistently grown crops. According to the Mount Vernon estate, he grew Cannabis sativa, which contained less than 0.3% THC. While it was used for mostly industrial purposes, like producing fabric and rope, the oil would also be extracted. In his writings, he also refers to different varieties of hemp, including New Zealand, East Indian, and American plants.
In the early years of the American colonies and the United States, hemp rope was in high demand. The military needed ships for security purposes, and entrepreneurs needed ships for trading goods. All ships needed strong rope, so for farmers, growing hemp was a no-brainer.
A few years ago, the Mount Vernon estate started growing hemp again as a way to teach visitors about its role in American agriculture and its value as a crop. Educating the public about hemp also de-stigmatizes it after years of misinformation, scare tactics, and propaganda. While Mount Vernon is currently closed and tours on hold, it is a huge step forward that visitors to the estate and farm can walk through the home of George Washington, step outside, and learn how hemp helped build this great country.
Readers, we want to hear from you! What era of CBD history do you want to learn about next, and if you could enjoy a smoke with any Founding Father, who would you choose? He never got to be president, but Benjamin Franklin still got to be a Founding Father while he partied with the French. Leave a comment below!
The History of CBD: Our First President Grew Hemp
George Washington is a man who made history. He was the commander-in-chief who led the American colonies to victory in the Revolutionary War. As the nation’s first president, he defined the role, and he could have served more than two terms but chose to step down.
Presidents’ Day was originally called Washington’s Birthday, though it was later changed to honor both Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays. George Washington is a giant in American history, but he was also a man. A farmer, to be exact.
At Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate in Virginia, he grew tobacco, wheat, corn, and potatoes. Hemp was one of the farm’s consistently grown crops. According to the Mount Vernon estate, he grew Cannabis sativa, which contained less than 0.3% THC. While it was used for mostly industrial purposes, like producing fabric and rope, the oil would also be extracted. In his writings, he also refers to different varieties of hemp, including New Zealand, East Indian, and American plants.
In the early years of the American colonies and the United States, hemp rope was in high demand. The military needed ships for security purposes, and entrepreneurs needed ships for trading goods. All ships needed strong rope, so for farmers, growing hemp was a no-brainer.
A few years ago, the Mount Vernon estate started growing hemp again as a way to teach visitors about its role in American agriculture and its value as a crop. Educating the public about hemp also de-stigmatizes it after years of misinformation, scare tactics, and propaganda. While Mount Vernon is currently closed and tours on hold, it is a huge step forward that visitors to the estate and farm can walk through the home of George Washington, step outside, and learn how hemp helped build this great country.
Readers, we want to hear from you! What era of CBD history do you want to learn about next, and if you could enjoy a smoke with any Founding Father, who would you choose? He never got to be president, but Benjamin Franklin still got to be a Founding Father while he partied with the French. Leave a comment below!