Writing AssistanceWriting Assistance

Presidential Decisions—Presidential Decisions—George WashingtonGeorge Washington

Using the Spartan Using the Spartan Writing Protocol Writing Protocol

(SWP)(SWP)

Step 1:Step 1: Read the Read the task/question task/question carefully.carefully.

Step 2:Step 2: Circle key Circle key words and underline words and underline key concepts.key concepts.

Step 1&2:Step 1&2: Use active Use active reading strategies to reading strategies to understand the task.understand the task.

United States Presidents United States Presidents have made important have made important decisions in an effort to decisions in an effort to solve crucial problems.solve crucial problems.

Theme: Presidential DecisionsTheme: Presidential Decisions

From your study of United States History, From your study of United States History, identify two important Presidential decisions identify two important Presidential decisions and for each:and for each:•State one goal the President hoped to State one goal the President hoped to accomplish by making the decisionaccomplish by making the decision•Describe the historical circumstances surround Describe the historical circumstances surround the Presidential decisionthe Presidential decision•Evaluate the extent to which the decision Evaluate the extent to which the decision achieved the President’s original goal.achieved the President’s original goal.•Discuss one immediate or long-term effect of Discuss one immediate or long-term effect of the decision on United States history.the decision on United States history.

Task:Task:

Describe means “give a sketch Describe means “give a sketch or impression of the subject or or impression of the subject or topic.”topic.”

Evaluate means “present your Evaluate means “present your opinion and judgment of opinion and judgment of something. Explain the something. Explain the criteria you are using to judge criteria you are using to judge something and apply that something and apply that criteria to specific examples.criteria to specific examples.

Discuss means “examine and Discuss means “examine and talk about all sides of a talk about all sides of a subject or issue in a carefully subject or issue in a carefully organized manner.”organized manner.”

Possible decisions:Possible decisions:Running for PresidentRunning for PresidentForming the Presidential cabinetForming the Presidential cabinetAppointing Alexander Hamilton Appointing Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of Treasuryas Secretary of TreasuryWhiskey RebellionWhiskey RebellionNeutrality proclamationNeutrality proclamationDeciding to retire after his second Deciding to retire after his second termterm

Step 3:Step 3: Read the Read the passage carefullypassage carefully

Step 4:Step 4: Take notes Take notes that respond to the that respond to the task/questiontask/question

Presidential DecisionPresidential Decision

Appointing Alexander Hamilton as Appointing Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury.Secretary of the Treasury.

GoalGoal

Washington, realizing how Washington, realizing how important everything he did was as important everything he did was as the nation’s first President, wanted the nation’s first President, wanted to make good decisions and put the to make good decisions and put the young country on a path for success.young country on a path for success.To ensure he made good decisions, To ensure he made good decisions,

he sought advice.he sought advice.

Historical CircumstancesHistorical Circumstances

• Washington created a whole panel of Washington created a whole panel of advisors called the Presidential Cabinet.advisors called the Presidential Cabinet.

• Hamilton, as the Secretary of the Treasury Hamilton, as the Secretary of the Treasury sought to put the country on a firm sought to put the country on a firm financial footing with his economic plan.financial footing with his economic plan.

• One way he did this was by creating a One way he did this was by creating a national banknational bank

• But the main part of his plan was Federal But the main part of his plan was Federal assumption of state debtsassumption of state debts

Evaluate: success or failure?Evaluate: success or failure?

Washington followed Hamilton’s Washington followed Hamilton’s plan and it was successful. plan and it was successful. It stabilized the American It stabilized the American

economy, building credit for the economy, building credit for the nation and instilling confidence in nation and instilling confidence in foreign and domestic investment foreign and domestic investment

in American businesses.in American businesses.

SPECIFIC effectSPECIFIC effect

• Hamilton’s plan caused the Whiskey Hamilton’s plan caused the Whiskey Rebellion.Rebellion.

• Farmers in Western Pennsylvania were Farmers in Western Pennsylvania were upset with a federal excise tax on whiskey. upset with a federal excise tax on whiskey. They attempted to revolt. They attempted to revolt.

• Washington led troops to put down the Washington led troops to put down the rebellion, without firing a shot.rebellion, without firing a shot.

• Washington showed the strength of the Washington showed the strength of the federal government.federal government.

Presidential Decisions—George WashingtonPresidential Decisions—George Washington

Presidential Presidential DecisionDecision GoalGoal

Historical Historical CircumstancesCircumstances

Success or Success or Failure? Failure? SPECIFIC effectSPECIFIC effect

Appointing Appointing Alexander Alexander

Hamilton as Hamilton as Secretary of the Secretary of the

TreasuryTreasury

Washington Washington created a whole created a whole

panel of panel of advisors called advisors called the Presidential the Presidential

Cabinet.Cabinet.

•National bankNational bank•Federal Federal assumption of assumption of state debtstate debt

Hamilton’s plan Hamilton’s plan caused the caused the

Whiskey Whiskey Rebellion.Rebellion.Farmers in Farmers in Western Western

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania were upset with were upset with a federal excise a federal excise tax on whiskey. tax on whiskey. They attempted They attempted

to revolt. to revolt.

Hamilton, as the Hamilton, as the Secretary of the Secretary of the Treasury sought Treasury sought

to put the to put the country on a country on a firm financial firm financial

footing with his footing with his economic plan.economic plan.

Washington Washington followed followed

Hamilton’s plan Hamilton’s plan and it was and it was successful. successful.

Washington led Washington led troops to put troops to put

down the down the rebellion, rebellion,

without firing a without firing a shot.shot.

Washington Washington showed the showed the

strength of the strength of the federal federal

government.government.

Washington, Washington, realizing how realizing how

important important everything he everything he did was as the did was as the nation’s first nation’s first

President, President, wanted to make wanted to make good decisions good decisions

and put the and put the young country young country on a path for on a path for

future success.future success.

It stabilized the It stabilized the American American economy, economy,

building credit building credit for the nation for the nation and instilling and instilling confidence in confidence in foreign and foreign and

domestic domestic investment in investment in

American American businesses.businesses.

To ensure he To ensure he made good made good

decisions, he decisions, he sought advice.sought advice.

Step 5:Step 5: Complete the Complete the Evidence and Analysis Evidence and Analysis boxes on your Spartan boxes on your Spartan Writing Template Writing Template (SWT)(SWT)

Step 6:Step 6: Write your Write your claim.claim.

United States Presidents have made important United States Presidents have made important decisions in an effort to solve crucial problems.decisions in an effort to solve crucial problems.

George Washington made an George Washington made an important decision to solve a important decision to solve a crucial problem when he…crucial problem when he…

Step 7:Step 7: Determine the Determine the relevancy of your relevancy of your evidence in supporting evidence in supporting your claim.your claim.

Step 8:Step 8: Complete a concluding Complete a concluding sentence box on your Spartan Writing sentence box on your Spartan Writing Template (SWT).Template (SWT).

Washington set many precedents as Washington set many precedents as President, with his strengthening of President, with his strengthening of the federal government being perhaps the federal government being perhaps the most important of all.the most important of all.

Step 9:Step 9: Write your Write your response (using the response (using the Spartan Writing Spartan Writing Template [SWT])Template [SWT])

Step 10:Step 10: Self-Assess Self-Assess your paragraph using your paragraph using the Spartan Writing the Spartan Writing RubricRubric