George Washington, born on the 22nd of February 1732 was indeed a Statesman of the highest caliber. As we see in chapter 12 ‘Understanding Politics’. There are many things required to reach a status of Statesman including: Pursuit of the public good, Practical wisdom, political skills, opportunity, and good fortune. All of these and more are prevalent in George Washington’s life.
First, Columbus found what he thought to be India in 1492, which later would be colonized by the first American settlers still under the British flag. During their time in America these British colonists fought the Indians (named due to Columbus’s first thought that he had landed in India) and In 1753, George Washington received an assignment from the Virginia military to take a letter to the French (who also wished to colonize America) This letter would lead to a war against the French and the Indians both. All of these events provided Washington with opportunity.
In these battles the early colonists required aid of the British armies and fought alongside them. Due to the cost of Britain’s provided protection from the French whom had taken hold in the east and parts of Canada the colonists had been unfairly taxed on all sorts of items. The unfair taxation lead up to the Boston Massacre in 1770, when British troops sent to help collect taxes killed 5 of the colonists.
These events and many others led up to the creation of the continental congress of which Washington was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental army and in such showing Washington’s political skills and military skills.
Washington knew that the signing of the declaration of independence would mean war with Britain, but also that this was a necessary evil as it was the only wa...
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...of our liberties. Thus in 1787 the need for a centralized government was all too apparent to Washington.
What makes George Washington so fascinating is not only his importance in the ratification of the United States Constitution, but the fact that he went on to serve all of the first two terms under the new constitutional America as president. As the first president under the new Constitution –1789, Washington’s first order of business was to create the executive branch of government and appoint the heads of each branch.
One very surprising event which displays the just nature of our first president was his choice in appointing Thomas Jefferson as secretary of state. Despite the fact that Thomas Jefferson, was out of the country during the writing of the Constitution he was a well-known Anti-federalist, though, he had nice things to say about the constitution.
Washington was the embodiment of everything fine in the American character. He had no delusions of grandeur and was second only to Benjamin Franklin as a diplomat with the French. In caring fo...
By this point, the colonists were beginning to question Britain’s motives towards them. They believed they were being treated like slaves and being used solely for the economic growth of Britain. One night, in 1773, the colonists rebelled against these taxes on their tea. A group of men dressed as Native Americans boarded a ship at Boston Harbor and unloaded three vessels of taxed tea (Boston Tea Party). This event, known a...
George Washington was selected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army because of his courage and bravery, his ability to motivate and command respect from his followers, and his strategic ability in battle. His reputation as a daring and successful leader inspired confidence and loyalty in his followers. If it weren't for George Washington, it would be a different America today. Washington's military experience started when he was selected by Governor Dinwiddie, of Virginia, to travel to the Ohio Valley to tell the French to leave. He was only twenty-two years old, inexperienced, and naive.
In the mid eighteenth century colonist of the new world started to rebel against Britain. Living in the colonies cost Britain a great deal of money Colonist did not like that they were being taxed. There were several acts passed that angered the colonists. For example, the Stamp Act, the Stamp Act was passed in 1765 taxed all legal documents including newspapers and other printed materials. The Stamp Act affected all that bought printed materials and it did not affect the poor because it was not too expensive. The colonist started to rebel and boycotted “No taxation without representation.” The colonists rebelled in many ways one of them was the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Tea Party occurred in 1773 as an act of revolt colonists threw tea cargo of a ship to the ocean. These acts of Britain towards the new colonies caused colonist to revolve and declare war to separate from Britain. The colonists were not justified to going to war to break away from Britain because England was paying more taxes and the mother country deserved absolute respect; however, the colonists were justified to break away from Britain because they were taxed without representation.
George Washington was the first President of the United States of America and realizing this he acted carefully and deliberately, aware of the need to build an executive structure that could accommodate future presidents. Washington's position as the first president of the United States allowed him to set many precedents that are still followed by executives today. Washington believed his power came from article II of the U.S. Constitution. He was very protective of executive powers and did not involve the executive branch in legislative matters. He established the initial implied powers of the president by creating the national bank, excise tax, and assumption of state debts from the Revolutionary War. The creation of those bureaucracies set the precedent that allowed presidents after him to establish and empower new bureaucratic agencies to execute the duties of the executive office.
In the 1770’s the American colonists were being taxed too much by the British and they started to want their independence. Britain was taxing the colonists to pay their debts from the French and Indian War. The colonists started to fight back by tarring and feathering some tax collectors. Britain sent troops to the colonies which caused more problems.
George Washington had character and was extraordinary. Ellis described Washington as an "incalculable asset." His leadership skills were unique. His actions were performed for his country, not for political gain. He was also directly associated with every major event of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress, and the building of the new republic. Even the country 's new capitol had his name. These were some of the things that made him so special. Washington was not prideful and not easily led. He offered suggestions and warnings to his replacements and told the government to expand in a way that would keep the country standing; he was well aware of how dainty the country was. The United States would never have survived without him.
With a new nation facing overwhelming difficulties, George Washington faced the challenges of being the first president to run, shape, and build the foundations of the newly formed United States. Washington came into office with the country in heavy debt, and an empty treasury. With the issues President George Washington was facing, he proved to be a paragon leader.
The British Order in Council said ¨The British revenue only paid for a fourth of the cost and was inconsiderable ¨ (DOC 6). Due to not being able to afford to protect the colonies Great Britain developed mercantilist policies in order to gain some money. Mercantilism benefited the mother country but the colonies were only allowed to trade with Great Britain making them overspend for items in order to gain some revenue. The colonial government now had less power because of this policy of mercantilism. Soldiers at the time thought that they were not being treated fairly, one soldiers diary said ¨And though we be Englishmen born, we are [denied] Englishman's liberty (DOC 4). The British treated colonist with less respect than they would have if they were from Great Britain which caused a divide worsening the relationship between Great Britain and the American colonist. Taxes were also enforced in the colonies to pay for the British troops. The colonist thought this new taxation seemed unfair, they saw it as death to their liberties (DOC 7). Great Britain introduced tax such as the stamp act (1765), the sugar act (1764), and the Townshend acts (1767). American colonist thought that they should have taxation with representation so they formed groups such as the sons and daughters of liberty and boycotted taxed
The imperial tactics of the British Empire were exercised on the colonists through heavy taxes trade restrictions because of their mercantilist economy. The Stamp Act taxed the colonists directly on paper goods ranging from legal documents to newspapers. Colonists were perturbed because they did not receive representation in Parliament to prevent these acts from being passed or to decide where the tax money was spent. The colonists did not support taxation without representation. The Tea Act was also passed by Parliament to help lower the surplus of tea that was created by the financially troubled British East India Company. The colonists responded to this act by executing the Boston Tea Party which tossed all of the tea that was imported into the port of Boston. This precipitated the Boston Port Act which did not permit the colonists to import goods through this port. The colonists protested and refused all of these acts which helped stir the feelings of rebellion among the colonists. The British Mercantilist economy prevented the colonists from coin...
Although it is a well-known fact that George Washington was the first president of the United States of America, it is less commonly thought about Washington led a new continent striving for independence through its struggle. As Shogan said in her article Washington, George, ”On June 15, 1775, the Continental Congress named George Washington the commander in chief of the Revolutionary army. Although Washington was not a military genius, his strategy during the war proved effective. Acutely aware that an outright defeat of the British was unlikely, Washington persistently harassed the enemy and relied upon surprise attacks and skillful retreats to win the war.”
...colonist was taxed and oppressed by the British government. To list each reason that the colonists had to start a war with Britain would be impossible, but the main, igniting reason was that the British taxed and oppressed the colonists. Without the taxation of the colonists, the American Revolution would never have begun, and perhaps the world today would look very differently.
Washington played an important role in the struggles preceding the outbreak of the French and Indian War. He was chosen by Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia to deliver an ultimatum calling on French forces to cease their encroachment in the Ohio River valley. The young messenger was also instructed to observe the strength of French forces, the location of their forts, and the routes by which they might be reinforced from Canada. After successfully completing this mission, Washington, then a lieutenant colonel, was ordered to lead a militia force for the protection of workers who were building a fort at the Forks of the Ohio River. Having learned that the French had ousted the work party and renamed the site Fort Duquesne, he entrenched his forces at a camp named Fort Necessity and awaited r...
The British citizens were being heavily taxed and the French and Indian War had taxed the British heavily. They thought that it was only right that the colonists whom they had spent so much money protecting, and who were taxed lightly in comparison with the other British citizens, to help pay. Note please that prior to this the British had allowed the colonists to tax themselves and did not impose revenue raising...
George Washington grew a huge reputation from his leadership in the war, he was the head of General of the Continental Army that fought in states like New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. He was the commander of his army, who so confidently trusted him, put an end to the fighting of the war after defeating and making General Charles Cornwallis’ army surrender in the Siege of of