A speech by a political leader that deals with political themes? We know it's shocking, but take some deep breaths to manage the surprise.
Remember, though, that Washington was the first president of the United States and dealt with the first Cabinet, the formation of the three branches of government, and the establishment of U.S. foreign policy. A lot of it didn't go so smoothly.
Washington had a lot of opinions about how politics should be conducted (and wasn't being conducted), and that's what a lot of his farewell address is about.
The political theme in Washington's address covers a lot of political issues because it had to. You have to start somewhere, right?
Questions About Politics
- What is Washington's political philosophy, according to his farewell address?
- Why might it be important for Washington to address a lot of political issues in his farewell address in particular?
- How does Washington's approach to politics in this speech compare and/or contrast with other political speeches or essays you've heard or read?
- How effective are Washington's political arguments in the farewell address? Why?
Chew on This
Washington's extensive statements on politics are a little wasted since a lot of people in the United States didn't even have the right to vote at the time.
Washington deliberately doesn't specify people or very many particular events because he wants his political message to be a lot more universal and applicable in the future.