George Washington

By: Steve Skrtic and

Christine Kubus

Background Information

Birthday: February 22, 1732 in Virginia. Death: December 14, 1799 1st president of the United States. Commander and chief during Revolutionary

War. Washington was one of the causes of the

French and Indian War (Battle of Jumonville Glen.)

Background Information (continued)

He was in debt to a British merchant who was his “agent” in London. He bought all the latest London fashions and sold his tobacco through his agent.

He was a very wealthy individual. He owned large tracts of land in the Ohio river valley and also owned land in Pennsylvania.

He was a resident of Virginia and led the Virginia regiment.

Presidential Background

Years in office: 1789-1797 Vice president was John

Adams Began Traditions for other

presidents Washington preferred to sit

back and let his cabinet come up with solutions to problems.

Presidential Background (continued)

His unique status as an American hero kept him above the political fray. One of the leading political theories of the day was that if you went up against Washington in a political fight his influence and unique status would cast you into political oblivion.

Precedents Set for other Presidents

He unified the United States.

He was a role model to other presidents to follow him.-4 year terms-Two Terms-Cabinet

Key Events

French Revolution- Washington kept the country out of a war that could have been devastating for the U.S. (Proclamation of Neutrality)

Whiskey Rebellion- Farms protested against government over taxes on whiskey.

Foreign Policies

Proclamation of Neutrality- Declared United states neutral during war in Europe.

Jay Treaty- Treaty with Britain. Unfavorable concessions for the United States. Caused French to attack American shipping.

Pinckney Treaty- Favorable treaty with Spain. Spain gave the United States almost everything they asked for in order to befriend the U.S.

Domestic Policies

Whiskey Rebellion- Washington crushed the rebellion against the national government. Washington didn’t want any part to break off of the United States government.

National Bank- Created by Alexander Hamilton. National Bank could print stable currency. It held government money and stimulated business.

Presidential Report Card

Domestic Policies: 8 Foreign Policies: 10 Overall: 9

Reasons for an Eight on Domestic Policy

The way he handled the Whiskey Rebellion was a little over-powering. He organized an army and led it to crush a few unsatisfied farmers when he could have just agreed to their demands.

Domestic (continued)

The National Bank was an absolutely brilliant policy constructed by Alexander Hamilton. It provided a stable currency for the fledgling nation (much needed since when the joke was “not even worth a continental”), promoted business by keeping the money still in circulation.

He also managed to keep the country together during this bumpy period.

Reasons for 10 on Foreign Policy

Washington managed to keep the United States out of a devastating war with any of the countries of Europe and he managed not to “entangle alliances with any”. A war with any country of Europe would surely have been extremely devastating to the United States and could have possibly killed it in its infant stages of its “Republican Experiment”. (examples are Jay treaty and keeping out of the French Revolution)

Ranking among other presidents

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (The Great Depression)

Abraham Lincoln (Civil War/Slavery)

George Washington (Formation of the United States government)

Federal City (Washington D.C.)

Washington’s “pet project”. He wanted a national capital free of state

influence. Designated the land that became

Washington D.C. Organized the city himself and appointed

architects and many other major figures himself

Map of Washington’s Federal City

Pro-Federalist

Reasons areWhen he was Commander and Chief of

the Continental Army he never could rely on the Continental congress to give him needed supplies like clothes, gunpowder and even footwear. Washington even beseeched the Continental congress for these supplies.

Pro-Federalist (Continued)

He believed that only a strong federal government could harness the spoils that the revolutionary war had won and that only a strong federal government could make a strong nation.

Farewell Address

Washington says that– The United states should not

ally itself to any European powers

– The party system is a bad thing. It pits Americans against one another

– We should remain united at home

Bibliography

Ellis, Joseph J. His Excellency : George Washington. New York, NY: Knopf, 2004.

American Pageant : Advanced Placement. Boston: Houghton Mifflin College Division, 2001.

"George Washington's Farewell Address." Archiving Early America. 1996. Archiving Early America. 19 Oct. 2008 <http://www.earlyamerica.com>.