Category: George Washington

The Cover Letter

The purpose of this essay is to explore the farewell speech of George Washington. After serving the nation for 17 years, George Washington felt that he would not serve the country for another term. Washington was a successful leader because he promoted democracy, led the country through the revolutionary war, and achieved most of the goals which he had promised the people. Therefore, from the farewell speech, we learn that leaders should promote democracy, and they should not be selfish.

It should be learned that leaders should deliver the promises they give to their people. I have achieved a new understanding of the topic that George Washington was a great leader who promoted religion. I have changed my perspective after completing the research. In this case, I have considered Washington as one of the great leaders that the Americans have ever had in history. I experienced difficulties during the research in that the topic has a lot of materials, and I had to condense all the facts in a small piece of writing. Also, the speech was long and had many issues. Therefore, writing a few pages of the analysis of the speech was hard.

In this assignment, I have enjoyed the section which suggests that Washington supports religion. Leaders who support religion promote good ideas because they believe that all powers come from God. Washington supported the idea that democracy can be achieved when the ideologies of religion are supported. I decided to write on this topic because Washington was a remarkable leader. His speech indicates that he had achieved his goals.

The speech also indicates that Washington was selfless, and promoted religion and democracy. It is important to note that Washington’s speech has been criticized to get the strengths and weaknesses of the speech. Also, some of the facts have been analyzed. The overall essay indicates that Washington was a successful leader, and despite having a few challenges, he achieved most of his promises.

George Washington Farewell Address

Introduction and the claim

George Washington served the Americans for 17 years. He achieved great success during his reign. Although he experienced a lot of challenges, he achieved most of the policies which he had promised his people. After ruling for two terms, he gave his final speech where he told the Americans that he was not willing to serve for another term. The speech indicates that George Washington was a leader who was democratic, religious, selfless, and one who promoted revolution during his reign. Most of the people in America did not accept the fact that Washington was not ruling anymore because they had accepted his leadership. He was dedicated to promoting the welfare of the people¹. Therefore, this paper claims that George Washington was successful during his reign.

Background

George Washington achieved a lot of things during his rule as the president of the US. However, he felt that he had not achieved a lot of things. He attached the success of the country during his reign to the unity and collaboration with the people of the country. He said that he would not have achieved anything if people had not supported him. Therefore, he attached his success in leadership to the support he got from the people he led.

Body

Support for your claim

George Washington promoted democracy in the country in his farewell speech. In this case, he argued that people should ensure that peace and harmony prevail in the country. He encouraged Americans to promote peace in society. He also urged the Americans to provide a good example of a democratic nation to the other countries in the world².

George Washington fought and won two battles during his reign. This included Brooklyn and the north of the city. He defended the country when enemies attacked. In the summer of 1776, he defended New York city from attacks. Although Washington had no navy or ships to defend the attacks via the waters, he won the battle. He used the untrained militia to win the two battles.

George Washington had the opportunity to stay in power because the army was loyal to him and had led the Americans through the revolutionary war. However, he was willing to give up power, turning down the opportunity to rule for another term. This shows that he was a democratic figure³.

He also supported religion. He argued that religion is one of the pillars that support true happiness. He encouraged people to promote the needs of all people instead of selfish acts. Promoting the interest of all people improves the morality and the religion of a country. Washington encouraged people to embrace region to enhance morality⁴.

Opposing or alternate views

Washington was successful during his reign. However, he failed in some instances. During the Brooklyn and the Battle of White Plains, Washington used untrained militia in the battle. Besides, there were no ships or trained navy to fight. Most of the militia were imprisoned by the Britons and used as slaves. They were mistreated, and some even died. This indicates that Washington applied poor tactics during the war⁵.

Rebuttals

The claims that Washington failed in some instances has been provided by Brookhiser, in his article “Brookhiser, Richard. The Character of George Washington. USA Today 136. 27463 (Jul 2007): 19-20”.

The city I live in, New York, has been attacked twice in American history. The first was in the summer of 1776, and George Washington, commander in chief of the Continental Army, was responsible for the city’s defense. The British, who made camp on Staten Island, had at their command 10 ships-of-the-line, dozens of other vessels, and 32,000 professional soldiers including Hessians. To oppose this force, Washington had no navy nor ships. He only had a mere 19,000 soldiers, most of them untrained militia. Over the next few months, he and his men fought two battles: the Battle of Long Island, in what now is Brooklyn, and the Battle of White Plains, north of the city. They lost both⁶.

Conclusion

George Washington was a successful leader because he achieved most of the things he had promised the Americans. He promoted democracy, religion, and selflessness. He was not willing to take another term in power although his people wanted him to rule. Despite his achievements, Washington failed when he sent untrained militia to fight enemies in 1776, summer. Most of the militias were taken as slaves and mistreated. However, despite the challenges experienced during his leadership, Washington was a successful leader. This was indicated by the speech he gave in the “Washington farewell speech”.

Bibliography

Brookhiser, Richard. “The Character of George Washington.” USA Today vol. 136, no. 27463 (2007): 19-20.

The author indicates the weaknesses of Washington. The Americans were attacked during the rule of Washington, and he applied poor tactics to defend the people. New York city was attached in 1776 but Washington had no ships or navy to protest the attackers. The author refutes the claims that Washington was a successful leader.

Kauffman, Bill. “Farewell George.” The American Enterprise vol. 7 no. 2 (1996): 74-80.

The paper analysis the farewell speech given by George Washington. The message of the speech has been analyzed.

Montagne, Renee. “Commentary: George Washington’s farewell speech outlining moral guidelines to ensure continued democracy in America.” NPR Morning Edition. National Public Radio. 2004. HighBeam Research. Web.

The author analyzes the farewell speech of George Washington. The author provides the achievements and weaknesses of Washington.

Payne, James. “Making the World Safe for Muddle: The Meaning of Democracy in American Foreign Policy.” The Independent Review 13. 4 (2009): 601-610.

George Washington’s farewell speech outlining moral guidelines to ensure continued democracy in America from National Public Radio’s Morning Edition radio program.

Wolverton, Joe. Washington’s First Final Farewell. The New American vol. 25, vol. 265 (2009): 35-39.

George Washington gave a farewell speech after leading the Americans through war. The author presents a farewell speech. Washington is presented to be a successful leader who was selfless and devoted to promoting democracy.

Footnotes

1. Bill Kauffman, “Farewell George.” The American Enterprise vol. 7 no. 2 (1996): 74.
2. Payne, James. “Making the World Safe for Muddle: The Meaning of Democracy in American Foreign Policy.” The Independent Review vol. 13, no. 4 (2009): 601.
3. Joe Wolverton, “Washington’s First Final Farewell.” The New American vol. 25, vol. 265 (2009): 35-39.
4. Renee Montagne, “Commentary: George Washington’s farewell speech outlining moral guidelines to ensure continued democracy in America.” NPR Morning Edition. National Public Radio. HighBeam Research, 2004, 1. Web.
5. Brookhiser, Richard. The Character of George Washington. USA Today vol. 136, no. 27463 (2007): 19-20.
6. Brookhiser, 19.

Introduction

Becoming president plays an essential role in the life of any politician, and when leaving office, everyone wants to leave the last word. “Farewell Address” is George Washington’s farewell speech when he decided not to run for the head of the country for the third time. The significant aspect of the president’s speech was the value of unity, loyalty to party over the nation, and the danger of foreign entanglements. These items he considered to be of utmost importance as he left office. The study of the main aspects of this letter plays a vital role in shaping how the policy of the United States of America developed after Washington left office.

Major Points of George Washington’s Speech

Therefore, the main point that stands out in George Washington’s speech is the emphasis on the value and importance of the community of the American people. This aspect also implied the primacy of the interests of the nation over differences, such as regional interests (Pruitt, 2020). In his speech, the outgoing president highlighted that “the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counselors, and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes” (“Washington’s Farewell Address 1796,” n.d., para.8). Thus, the politician noted that in order to achieve success and desired policy results, it is essential to strengthen community and relationships.

The other main point, according to investigators, is to determine loyalty to the party over the nation is wrong and the government’s worst enemy. According to the former president, the main negative consequence of the assumption of this process is factionalism or the development of competing political parties and force cunning and unprincipled behavior. This was due to the fact that already at the time of his resignation, more and more parties began to gain momentum and develop their activities. Taking into account the views of the party and blindly following its activities can only worsen the situation in the country.

The last important aspect for the outgoing president is the danger of foreign entanglements. This factor is of particular interest since it is impossible to imagine a country without a minimal foreign policy. Thus, George Washington was of the opinion that foreigners could lead to waves of unrest and also provoke an increase in corruption in the country. Furthermore, this problem affects the condition that the United States and Europe have completely different policies for conducting any kind of business. It is worth noting that these aspects, such as the latter, can only worsen the situation and provoke a decline in the development of the country due to isolation.

Conclusion

Washington’s warnings and exhortations were followed in the days since his presidency. The farewell speech of the outgoing outstanding president is an important starting point. Thus, the “Farewell Address” is presented as a speech that touches on such aspects of life as the confrontation of the United States with other countries due to different policies in the field of foreign policy. The main points of view that were called by the president among which are challenges facing the United States at the time, including increasing internal divisions and the ongoing external threat of invasion by stronger nations. The last message of the president provoked isolationism in the country. Because of the president’s advice not to build relations with other countries, America could not recognize for a long time.

References

Pruitt, S. (2020). George Washington warned against political infighting in his Farewell Address. History. Web.

Washington’s Farewell Address 1796. (n.d.). Yale Law School. Web.

American history saw a lot of truly inspirational people who not only influenced the lives of American citizens but also changed the way we think about fundamental political values. George Washington is the perfect example of the person whose contribution to the history of America is hard to overestimate, as scholars note that “Washington was critical for “making” America” (Fagal 552). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the life of George Washington, his political views, and the way his work affected society.

George Washington was born to father, Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Washington, and was one of seven children from his father’s two marriages. When George was 11 years old, his father died, and he was brought up in Virginia by Lawrence Washington, his half-brother. As researchers note, unlike his elder brothers, George Washington did not receive any formal education (Little 9). However, he was a well-rounded person, being able to write by early adulthood while also studying mathematics, surveying, and map-making. Lawrence Washington encouraged George to join the British navy, but George’s mother did not allow him to do so. Instead, George Washington became a land surveyor, which was considered a respectable profession at that time.

Washington’s surveying career provided him with a useful experience as he developed wilderness survival skills, learned self-dependence, studied the frontier region, as well as he established a good reputation. Besides, he received considerable fees for surveying, which allowed him to buy land in the Shenandoah Valley. Moreover, his job as a survey man helped George in his pursuit of success in his military career, teaching him some vital skills a soldier needs on the battlefield. His role in the French and Indian War was significant, as he was a commander of the Virginia Regiment, raised to oppose the French in the Ohio Valley. Furthermore, Washington served to British General Edward Braddock, who led an expedition to dislodge the French from Fort Duquesne. Washington learned much from Braddock while also earning a military reputation for courage and efficient administrating.

On January 6, 1759, Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, and the marriage made him one of the wealthiest men of Virginia, which significantly increased his social status (Little 45). Considering that he was also a prominent military hero, Washington had enough achievements to be elected to the Virginia provincial legislature. Washington soon was considered as a member of the political elite in Virginia, which allowed him to become one of the central figures of the American Revolution. He was one of the delegates of the Continental Congress, during which the delegates discussed the ways to respond to the British government’s enforcement power. Soon, Washington acknowledged that attempts to overcome controversies are pointless and offered the services of a military commander.

In 1775, George Washington was selected to be the first commander in chief of the Continental Army. From 1775 to 1778, Washington was in the middle of the action. He successfully directed his army during the Siege of Boston, but he failed his next battle as he lost the city of New York. However, he managed to take his revenge as he won decisive victories at Trenton and Princeton at the end of 1776. From 1778 to 1780, Washington was focused on more diplomatic activities. Washington somehow was able to complete the enormous task as the army had constant problems with training and supply. He increased the combat capability and the level of discipline among soldiers, which helped significantly in winning battles. The army was dismissed after peace in 1783, and Washington resigned as commander-in-chief.

The next chapter of Washington’s life began when he became the first President of the United States under the new federal Constitution (Weems 7). There was no doubt that George Washington would win that election as he gained substantial support after being a successful commander-in-chief during the American Revolutionary War. His election was unanimous after all 69 electors voted for Washington, and he was inaugurated in New York City in April 1789.

One of the main goals of Washington’s political course was to continue democratic changes in the country and foster respect for the Constitution among people. He visioned the country as a democratic one; therefore, he made political changes that are consistent with democratic values. Washington improved the functioning of the three branches of government, which are the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. He also addressed the issue of amending the Constitution, supporting the ratification of the United States Bill of Rights. As for the international policy, George Washington wanted it “to be shaped by interest-driven, flexible neutrality—an approach not to be motivated by love or hatred for any other nation” (Estes 750). Such an attitude towards other nations further consolidates the fact that Washington was the man of true democratic values.

George Washington did everything he could to develop the civil consciousness of American people, as well as a sense of unity. By expressing respect for the Constitution, he promoted the development of democratic ideas among Americans. Another thing worth mentioning is that it was Washington who made November 26 to be the day of Thanksgiving, encouraging national unity. Washington’s vision was summarized in his final presidential letter, The Farewell Address. Washington emphasized that national identity was fundamental for safeguarding freedom and prosperity. He also motivated American people for the future progress of the country by stating that all his achievements during his presidency were due to Americans’ efforts to help the country develop.

George Washington made many contributions to American society. Among the most important ones, he provided firm leadership by his committed work at a crucial period of American history. He became the first President of the United States and also set a precedent, according to which there should be a maximum of two terms for one person. In this regard, Weems states, “Washington would never seek power as an end in itself, nor would he abuse power delegated to him” (10). Besides, George Washington was one of the authors of the Constitution of the United States, fostering respect to it after becoming a President. Another contribution that one should keep in mind is that he was the one to lead the American nation to the independency, while also cultivating democratic values.

All things considered, George Washington played a key role in the history of American society. During his life, he showed his devotion to the development of the country, and his work influenced American society in many different ways. Regarding this, he guided the country to independence, and afterward, as the first President, he was leading it during the hard times of instability, providing a solid base for future development. The most important thing to mention is that, with his democratic vision, Washington cultivated the right values among American people.

Works Cited

Estes, Todd. “Addressing America: George Washington’s Farewell and the Making of National Culture, Politics, and Diplomacy, 1796–1852.” Journal of American History, vol. 103, no. 3, 2016, pp. 750–751.

Fagal, Andrew JB. “George Washington and the Making of America.” Reviews in American History, vol. 44, no. 4, 2016, pp. 551-560.

Little, Shelby. George Washington. Pickle Partners Publishing, 2018.

Weems, Mason L. The Life of Washington. Routledge, 2015.

George Washington and Abraham Lincoln appear to be the most prominent personalities in the entire history of the United States. Their names are closely connected to the most significant changes in society, which had a considerable influence on the lifestyle of all Americans in the long run. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast these historical figures and present specific similarities and differences between them.

Similarities

First of all, it is essential to start with the characteristics, which are common both for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They are the most well-known presidents of the United States of different historical periods. While George Washington was the first qualified person at this post from 1789 to 1797, Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president served from 1861 to 1865. As it is mentioned in Diffen, “they both served two terms in office during their own time and are memorialized in the present by statues, U.S. currency, and Mount Rushmore (“George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln” para. 1). The portrait of the first American president is depicted on the 1-dollar paper currency, and the image of Abraham Lincoln is used on 5-dollar paper currency.

Another feature, which could be common for both presidents, regards the topic of education. Although the ways they acquired essential and basic knowledge were different, it should be mentioned that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were interested in broadening their minds (“Difference Between Abraham Lincoln and George Washington”). In addition, another part of their biographies is similar too. Both presidents completed military service and were leaders of the population during wars, which result in revolutions.

Differences

Considering the fact that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln lived in different historical periods, it is evident that the activity of the presidents has a great number of dissimilarities. For instance, as for their philosophies, which shaped their policy and slogans, the sixteenth president was convinced that it was essential to unite the entire country and prevent it from division (“George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln”). Furthermore, he was absolutely opposed to slavery and attempted to supply the population with freedom and basic rights (“George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln”). George Washington disapproved of partisanship and sectionalism, and he considered it unappropriated to participate in foreign wars. Moreover, Abraham Lincoln was a member of the Republican party, while George Washington did not refer to any political party.

The biography of these historical personalities contains a significant number of differences too. The first American president was born in a wealthy family and lived in abundance for the entire life (“Difference Between Abraham Lincoln and George Washington”). In addition, he had an opportunity to be taught at home and received appropriate education for this period (“Difference Between Abraham Lincoln and George Washington”). On the contrary, Abraham Lincoln was born in a low-income family and could attend school only occasionally (“Difference Between Abraham Lincoln and George Washington”). Their initial professions were no similar as well – while Abraham Lincoln was a country lawyer and an “Illinois state legislator”, George Washington was a “tobacco farmer and plantation owner” (“Difference Between Abraham Lincoln and George Washington” para. 7). Therefore, the life path of the presidents and their occupation before their post were different.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be mentioned that the contribution to the development of the country and establishment of freedom and basic human rights of both presidents cannot be underestimated. This appears to be the major similarity between them, which outweighs all the differences in their activity and biography. For this reason, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are still respected in the modern world, and their figures are presented in numerous statues and portraits.

Works Cited

“Difference Between Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.”DifferenceBetween.Net. Web.

“George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln.”Diffen. Web.

Introduction

Art plays a central role in the advancement of societies by passing experiences from one generation to another, instilling values, and shaping opinions toward the collective progress of humankind. In other words, art is a vehicle for social change, which allows generations from different cultures and times to communicate with each other through various forms, such as paintings, sculptures, literature, and music among others. From the Renaissance through Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, to contemporary movements, each art era has distinguishing features based on the underlying themes addressing relevant issues at the time. This paper analyses Giotto’s Madonna Enthroned from the Renaissance and Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware from the Romanticism movement.

Madonna Enthroned

Madonna Enthroned also known as Virgin and Child Enthroned (Ognissanti Maestà) is a painting by Giotto (Vespignano, Vicchio di Mugello) using the tempera on wood technique between 1300 and 1305. It was created in Italy and it belongs to the Early Renaissance Movement. In the painting, Virgin Mary is seated on a throne while holding baby Jesus in her arms – a view that elicits the image of a queen seated on a throne. This iconography births the title Maestà, which is the Italian word for Majesty. The Virgin, who is the ceremonial Queen of Heaven, holds a baby on her lap surrounded by angels. The baby’s right hand is raised as a sign of giving blessing while his left hand holds a scroll to symbolize knowledge. The throne is surrounded by a multicolored tabernacle, which is reminiscent of Gothic Architecture that was popular during this time.

This painting was highly influenced by the concept of humanism as an emergent ideology during the Renaissance characterized by intense inventiveness and revived interest in literature and learning. The focus during this era was on human beings, their endeavors, responsibilities, and the quest for the common good. Humanism, according to Sachant et al., is “the belief that people are naturally good and that problems can be solved using reason instead of religion” (128).

This assertion explains why the focus in this painting is on the Virgin, who is depicted as a queen, a Madonna, as a way of giving her human embodiment. During the Middle Ages, religion defined the Sacred Culture, which in turn shaped the way of thinking and life (Yu 452). However, artists during the Renaissance sought a rebirth, and this aspect explains Giotto’s attempt to incorporate elements of humanism in this painting by portraying the Virgin as a queen. Similarly, baby Jesus holds a scroll in his left hand to symbolize knowledge – a central issue during the 14th century. As mentioned earlier, the belief that reason, as opposed to religion, could be used to solve life’s problems was hinged on the quest to pursue knowledge and celebration of human intellectual and creative accomplishments.

Washington Crossing the Delaware

Washington Crossing the Delaware is an oil on canvas painting by Emanuel Leutze in 1851 in New York and it belongs to the Romanticism movement. In the painting, George Washington is standing on a rowboat with the bright morning light illuminating his face to capture the underlying determination and heroism. Behind him are armed individuals drawn from various American colonies as a show of the revolutionary cause and strength in pursuit of a common goal of liberation. The colors used in the painting are mostly dark with a few red highlights. The people in the boat are diverse including two farmers, a rower, western rifleman, an African, a man in a Scottish bonnet, and a Native American at the back to underscore the diversity of the American colonies and the unity that they embodied as they sought freedom from their colonial masters.

This painting captures Washington’s daring attack in December 1776 when he crossed the Delaware River to invade a Hessian garrison in Trenton, New Jersey. By creating this painting in 1851, almost 75 years later after Washington’s attack, Leutze wanted to inspire liberal reformers to continue fighting for their course during the European Revolutions of 1848. According to Merriman, the European Revolutions were liberal in nature with the objective of dethroning monarchical structures across Europe and replacing them with independent states (715). Therefore, Leutze, inspired by Romanticism – the intellectual and artistic movement that was a product of the Enlightenment seeking freedom for all mankind, hoped that reformers of his time would borrow from Washington’s bravery and continue to agitate for independence.

As such, it suffices to argue that the central theme in this painting is Washington’s courage and resolve to fight for freedom. The unity toward a common course of liberation as depicted by the diversity of the people on the boat was also meant to inspire all Europeans to come together and fight for their freedom. Leutze thus hoped that the patriotic pride of the American people as portrayed in the painting would significantly add to the European Revolutions, which were ongoing at the time of creating this piece of art. This assertion fits well into the Romanticism movement and the Enlightenment, which were the major influencing factors from where Leutze drew his ideas.

Works Cited

Merriman, John. A History of Modern Europe: From the French Revolution to the Present. W.W. Norton & Company, 1996.

Sachant, Pamela. Introduction to Art: Design, Context, and Meaning. University of North Georgia, 2016.

Yu, Jenny. “The Influence of Renaissance and Religious Reform on the Development of Music and Art Style.” International Conference on Humanities and Social Science 2016. Atlantis Press, 2016, pp. 452-456.