George Washington was the first president of the United States. He was born on February 22, 1732 and was chosen to be America’s first president in 1789. Washington served two terms as president. By the end of his second term, he was ready to retire; he could not serve another term as president. Before leaving office, he gave a farewell address which offered many pearls of wisdom which americans can learn from today. Based on Washington’s experiences as president, he warned us to stay united, follow the Constitution, and stay neutral in order to have a successful country. George Washington stated unity of government is important. To maintain real independence people must have unity amongst each other. He goes on to say that different ideas and opinions can separate you from others. As a nation we need to compromise and get through those differences. Americans should cherish our friendly and nonstop relationship with other states. Washington exclaims “...a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned;and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our …show more content…
If we try to live outside of the Constitution, our actions will cause tyranny. People are power hungry which comes from our human nature, but our nation needs to turn away from that addiction in order to make our country marvelous. Checks and balances are also very important to run our lush country. If by any chance the Constitution needs to be altered, it must be done legally. Washington proclaims, “But let there be no change by usurpation, for though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good…” If the Constitution is in need of change from a rebellion, the Constitution will not be changed; it is a document used for the good of all citizens. The Constitution is like a weapon that could be used to defend
The constitution of the United States is an insightful and revolutionary idea of how a government should be practiced in order to prevent a greedy, corrupt form of government from establishing and taking over its people. The US government is founded on the principle that it works for its people, meaning that whatever is legislated is meant only for the benefit of the American people. However, the Constitution is at this point flawed due to the fact that many of its proclamations are vague and outdated, and has to be left to interpretation as to what the framers truly intended of it. This is dangerous because it further divides the nation when Americans believe in different forms of what is constitutionally righteous, and this may start a civil
Washington wrote Washington’s Farewell Address to express how he felt on the dangers that could become in the future. He talked about the dangers of political parties and the dangers of having long-term alliances between the United States and other countries. The address is used to point the future American leader and the people into a more successful future. When talking about political parties, he mentioned to not have excessive spirit or geographical distinctions. On page 11, Washington writes, that there is serious concern when ground is furnished for characterizing parties because it leads to a belief that there is a difference of local interests and views.
Have you ever wondered how our government has been the same for more than 200 years? The US Constitution was written September 17, 1787, in the Philadelphia Convention, to replace the Articles of Confederation for the government. It currently has 27 Amendments, which are very hard to add. Tyranny is when someone or a group of people have way too much power in the government. The US Constitution guards against tyranny by making sure that the government is divided into federal and state, and into smaller branches, with each branch being able to check on each other.
Although the Constitution is recognized as the fundamental framework for the American government, there have been many Americans who have been skeptical about its efficacy. One prime example of this skepticism is reflected in Thomas Jefferson’s proposal of rewriting the Constitution every nineteen years. According to Jefferson, every new generation of leaders should have the ability to construct a constitution more compatible to their generation. Essentially, Jefferson viewed the Constitution as temporary and incapable of adapting to the needs of future generations. Thomas Jefferson’s doubt of the prevalence of the Constitution can be paired to the skepticism that the anti-federalists shared when it was first proposed.
George Washington’s Farewell Address Primary Source Analysis Chase Williams Lagrange College Washington’s farewell address had three main issues that He determined were crucial for the country to survive after only recently obtaining independence. President Washington told everyone in 1796 that they needed to stand together as a nation. He warned the people of the dangers of political parties, and he established foundational reasons for the country not to become over-involved in foreign affairs. Establishing these three principals were vital to the functionality of the nation. .
Washington’s Farewell Address was a letter written by George Washington as he was coming to the end of his second term in office as President. In this letter, Washington urged Americans to avoid excessive political party spirit, geographical distinctions, and long-term alliances with other countries. Washington expresses throughout the letter that foreign affairs of any kind would only ruin America and that America, as a strong nation, should stay neutral. His ideas about foreign affairs impacted the country by giving advice to Americans on the importance of the national union, the evils of political parties, and the value of the constitution.
As the first president of the newly formed United States of America, George Washington could be considered one of the most influential presidents to date. With America just gaining its independence from England, one of the greatest powers in the world, the challenges of making it a country were great. Having served eight terms and delivering may speeches as president, his “Farewell Address” could be considered one of the most important speeches he gave. In Washington’s Farewell Address 1796, he warned of what he believed could potentially be downfall of the new country. Some of the things Washington talked about were; the benefits of unity, a way to conserve and prosper financially, and avoiding the party system in government.
The Whiskey Rebellion, an event where citizens violently protested a tax on whiskey, was an avoidable confusion that could have been solved peacefully. Washington saw this and commented that “If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates.” When people have problems with the government, they should look to the Constitution to see a way that it can be fixed. Washington wanted to remind citizens that they have the power to shape the ways of the nation, but that they must first find a legal way to make proposals about the government. Following the Constitution was, and is, crucial to the nation’s
Washington knew a strong Constitution had to be in place, which is why he was responsible for the Constitutional Convention. The effects of his inaugural address and presidency really mattered, given he was the first of our many presidents. George Washington proved he truly cared for the American people and the country. He took charge and changed what had to be done, because his speech altered the government and society as we know it today; our Constitution, our executive and judicial branches, and our Supreme Court. While he did emphasize the need for a Constitution, he was not the only one responsible for it’s making.
The first American president,One of the greatest men who walked this earth, a man who achieve some of the greatest title that a lot of people can 't achieve in today 's world. He is known for being the commander of chief in the continental army also known for a gentleman planter and many more titles. Plenty of people look at him daily and might not even know who he is or why is he on money. But I 'm here to explain and to break it down for you! BIOGRAPHICAL George Washington the son of Augustine Washington and Mary Ball.
A lot of the problems and concerns he was dealing with during his presidency are still relevant in todays day in age. George Washington’s Farewell Address does a great job highlighting the problems he fears will affect the future of our country. The four areas of his concern were unity, not devising into stronger separate political parties,
The U.S. Constitution is a Living Document Since society has changed dramatically between the eighteenth and twenty first century, the U.S Constitution should be considered as a living document because it is not applicable in today's society and therefore in need of some changes in order to fit into today’s society. When our founding fathers wrote the constitution they did not have in mind all the technological advancements the U.S. will one day have. Such as the internet, television, radio, and so on. Other’s will say that if the constitution was considered a living document then judges will take advantage and manipulate the constitution to their benefit, but they don’t realize that people already manipulate the constitution. There were laws that contradicted the constitution like the Judiciary Act of 1789, which contradicts Article III of the Constitution in the Marbury v. Madison case.
The friendship Washington establishes with the people of America serve as a reason for the audience to listen to his speech and take note of the topics and ideas he presents. In addition to the plain folks appeal, Washington also repeats words and phrases to give a larger effect to his address. When advising his audience on the importance of a strong, unified government, Washington claims such a government is a necessity to keep the American values of “your real independence,” “your tranquility at home,” “your peace abroad,” “your safety,” “your prosperity,” and “that very liberty which you so highly prize” (3).
George Washington also acknowledge that he made mistakes himself and is far from a perfect individual but made clear to be open minded of criticism and corrections and to seek challenges by taking the easy routes in life. Washington’s Farewell Address is important part of our history and is taught up till this day to young American children in our schools and by Historians but few people understand the meaning and the importance behind the Farewell Letter. The Farewell Address the federal government, warnings against the party systems, the importance of religion and morality, warnings against forming a permanent foreign alliance, and a powerful military. George Washington has an overwhelming reputation by his military service, his position as our first president of the United States of America, and by leaving his position in office by leaving behind his Farewell Address to give present and future Americans insight on the history of our country and what it’s known for. It’s well encouraged to research what American history is about and how we can apply the Farewell Address into our life by living in peace, exercising our freedom of speech and choice or religions, along with respecting our governments and live in unity to achieve success.
Our Constitution is the rock solid base of our government. It is the foundation of the fundamental principles of which our country was built. Changing the constitution would mean changing the very foundation that America has been built on. I believe that the constitution is in fact a “complete and adequate document” that doesn’t need to be changed.