about George Washington

1. What was the significance
of George Washington’s
presidency?

2. Elections of 1789 and 1792

3.  As president, George Washington’s
actions and policies strengthened the
federal government.

4.  For example: in 1794, Washington
led an army into Pennsylvania to end
a farmer’s rebellion against a
whiskey tax passed by Congress.
Whiskey Rebellion
(1791–1794)

5.  Washington set the tone for the first
100 years of U.S. foreign policy by
adopting a position of neutrality.

6.  In the 1790s, Washington responded
to warring European nations by
declaring the neutrality of the U.S.
(in the Proclamation of Neutrality).
French Revolutionary War vs. Britain (1793)

7.  In Washington’s Farewell Address, he
advised the U.S. to avoid permanent
alliances with foreign countries and
to practice neutrality.
Washington’s Farewell Address (1796)
President George
Washington
(1789–1797)

8.  Washington was also the first
president to create and consult with
the Cabinet (presidential advisors).
Washington’s first Cabinet (1789): Secretary of War Henry Knox, Sec. of Treasury
Alexander Hamilton, Sec. of State Thomas Jefferson, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph

9.  This is an example of the unwritten
constitution (governmental practices,
based on custom and tradition).
President George W. Bush’s
Farewell Address
President Barack Obama’s Cabinet (2012)