Primary sourceDocument
Signature of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington's personal signature, used to authenticate his letters, commissions, and official documents.
This is Washington's own handwritten signature, used to authenticate the documents and letters he personally approved.
About this source
What it is
This is the handwritten signature of George Washington, shown here as a black cursive script on a white background with a flourished underline. It appears on many of his personal and official papers.
Why it matters
A signature like this was Washington's way of personally approving documents, from military commissions to laws and letters. Studying it helps historians and students recognize authentic Washington documents and understand how important handwritten signatures were before modern identification methods.
Look closer
- What does the style of the signature—its flourishes and shape—suggest about handwriting in Washington's time?
- Why would a signature matter so much on official papers in the 18th century?
- How might comparing this signature across different documents help verify whether a document is genuine?
This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of George Washington on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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