What would GW have to say about us
now?
Would Washington be happy
with the United States in 2008?
George Washington was
concerned with the new nation.
When he left office, what would that mean for the
rest of the
nation? Would the country be able
to transition to a new leader without major problems?
In his farewell address to
the nation, Washington warned the country on several issues. Your task is to write
a
five-paragraph essay that picks three issues that Washington would not be happy
with if he could see the nation in 2008.
Give specific reasons about
why Washington would not be happy with the current situation. Below are his major
points from his
farewell address.
In his
address, Washington:
Stresses the benefits of the federal
government.
"The unity of government...is a main pillar in
the edifice of your real independence...of your tranquility at home, your peace
abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so
highly prize."
Warns against the party system. "It serves to distract the Public Councils,
and enfeeble the Public Administration.... agitates the Community with
ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one....
against another.... it opens the door to foreign influence and corruption...thus
the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of
another."
Stresses the importance of religion and
morality.
"Where is the
security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious
obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in
Courts of Justice?"
On stable public credit. "...cherish public credit. One method
of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible...avoiding likewise the
accumulation of debt.... it is essential that you...bear in mind, that towards
the payments of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be
taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not...inconvenient and
unpleasant..."
Warns against permanent foreign alliances. "It is our true policy to steer clear
of
permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world..."
On an over-powerful
military establishment. "...avoid
the necessity of those overgrown military establishments, which, under any form
of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to be regarded as
particularly hostile to Republican Liberty."
- Use sites like boston.com, cnn.com,
Republican Party website, Democratic Party website.
- Also looking
up the United States in
the Almanac helps too
- The World Factbook from the CIA.gov
website has information on the United States today that will help you find
specific information as well.
If you go to this site and then click on
the United States, it will
tell you information about the current government and military, etc.
Day One: Wednesday, January 9
– Look over assignment, brainstorm your three
topics that Washington would be displeased with (in today’s gov’t)
Day Two: Thursday, January 10 –
Library time to gather specific evidence and
begin writing if time is needed.
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SOURCES!
You need to use noodlebib this time.
Day Three: Monday Jan. 14th –
In class writing time. (snow day)
Day Four: Tuesday, Jan. 15th – Time to write in class (changed)
Day Five: Wed. Jan. 16th – class time for peer editing
Day Six: Thur. Jan. 17th – class time for peer editing
Day Seven: Fri. Jan. 18th – project day. Hand
in paper on Mr. W.’s desk
