George Washington’s responsibilities as the first president of the United States did not end with his presidency. Upon his departure, Washington decided to write an address to warn the citizens of what dangers might threaten the nation in the future and what to do to protect them from division and war. George Washington wrote about staying together as a nation, staying neutral in world affairs, and following the rules of the constitution and why these three ideas would help our nation persevere.
The first thing Washington talked about was to preserve the union. Washington stated that it was important for the United States to stay together and he explained how the people could accomplish this goal. He wrote that in order to stay united, the citizens should avoid political parties and find ways to compromise on important issues. He had seen division in his own cabinet because of personal disagreements and differing philosophies, and he didn’t want to see such division nationwide. He felt that political parties would enhance and exaggerate our divisions and alienate portions of our country from each other.
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After the Revolutionary War, the U.S. couldn’t afford to go to war again. Washington decided that it was best not to get involved in any other countries’ quarrels. Washington said that the U.S. should remain neutral, meaning not favoring any certain country in a war or conflict. Many people disagreed with this idea. Some individuals thought that the U.S. was obligated to help France, considering how much they had done for the U.S. during the Revolutionary War. Although this seemed appropriate and fair, Washington said that, considering the national debt, the U.S. could not spare any resources or soldiers for another country’s