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What were George Washington's key contributions to American society?
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George Washington's key contributions to American society include providing steady leadership as the first President, guiding the country through its formative years, and establishing important precedents such as serving only two terms. He maintained neutrality in foreign conflicts, used diplomacy to resolve issues with Britain and Spain, and opposed the formation of political parties. Washington's leadership during the Revolutionary War and his role in drafting the Constitution were also pivotal in shaping the United States.
George Washington made many contributions to American society. One of his most important contributions was that he provided steady leadership at a vital time in our country’s history. Any time a new plan of government is put into effect, there will be challenging times. George Washington guided us through those times very well. For example, when farmers in western Pennsylvania rebelled over the Whiskey Tax, George Washington sent in the military to restore order. He made it clear that rebellion by any group of people wouldn’t be tolerated.
Another important contribution was that he was able to stay above the impact of the development of political groups representing a particular group of people or point of view. When he was President, he did what he thought was best for the country. He wasn’t concerned if a political group didn’t like an idea. If the idea was good for the country,...
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George Washington wanted to see that idea put into policy. George Washington cautioned the country against forming political parties when he left office because he felt they would be bad for the country. He felt people would support a political party’s idea, even if that idea wasn’t in the best interest of the country. He was concerned people would do what was in the best interests of the political party instead of what was in the best interests of the country.
Finally, George Washington made it clear to other countries that they couldn’t push us around. When Spain and Great Britain interfered with our trade, George Washington took action. When Great Britain and Spain encouraged Native Americans to attack us, George Washington didn’t stand around and refuse to deal with the issues. While there were Americans who wanted us to go to war over these issues, George Washington refused to do that because he knew we weren’t in any position to fight a war at this time. Thus, he used diplomacy to try to resolve these issues. Jay’s Treaty was negotiated with Great Britain, and Pinckney’s Treaty was negotiated with Spain. While these treaties weren’t perfect solutions to all of the problems we faced, these treaties kept us out of war and sent a message that countries couldn’t bully us. George Washington made it clear he would stand up for our country and its rights.
George Washington was the right leader for our country after the Constitution was ratified. We needed steady leadership, and George Washington was the perfect person to provide it.
You would be hard pressed to find an individual who had a greater impact on the history of the United States than George Washington. His integrity and mettle earned him the position of the commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The task of defeating the British Empire with a group of undisciplined, untrained, and ill-equipped soldiers seemed like an impossible feat. Washington's steady hand and motivational skills allowed the victory to become a reality. Washington was known as a great motivator and allowed the colonial military to achieve a sense of unity and purpose. After the British left the American colonies, Washington would become instrumental in the development of the republic in the United States.
The United States faced a crisis in its infancy. The Articles of Confederation failed to adequately unify the new nation because it did not grant the federal government enough power. Washington was chosen to be the president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. After the Constitution was ratified, George Washington was elected as the first president. Washington knew the importance of his actions as the first chief executive. He would be the example for future presidents. He appointed the most capable men to work in his cabinet, even if they did not share his political views. Washington took great care to protect the power of the Congress and the courts. One of the great traditions that Washington established was the idea that a president should only serve two terms. While Washington's popularity could have ensured that he could remain president for life, he decided it was in the best interests of the nation to step aside after two terms.
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