Download George Washington

George Washington
By: Steve Skrtic
and
Christine Kubus
Background Information
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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)
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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
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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)
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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
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He unified the United
States.
He was a role model to
other presidents to
follow him.
-4 year terms
-Two Terms
-Cabinet
Key Events
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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
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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
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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
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Domestic Policies: 8
Foreign Policies: 10
Overall: 9
Reasons for an Eight on Domestic
Policy
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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)
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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
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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
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt (The Great
Depression)
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Abraham Lincoln (Civil War/Slavery)
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George Washington (Formation of the United
States government)
Federal City (Washington D.C.)
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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
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Reasons are
 When 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)
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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
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Washington says that
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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
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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>.