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Summary Of George Washington's Farewell Address

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After forty- five years of serving as the nation’s first president, George Washington found that it was finally time to end his presidency and, therefore, decline entering into a third term. Nevertheless, because of his great and obvious love for his country, he didn’t want to leave the American people without guidance. In George Washington’s “Farewell Address” he imparts some final words of wisdom unto the American people. Within his letter, he expressed his gratitude and love for his country and his people as well as set fourth several principles which he believed would preserve the great nation; these principles include: protecting the union and disregarding parties, maintaining religion, and cultivating healthy relationships with foreign nations. “The unity of government, which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that …show more content…

He went on to tell that since the nation had already formed engagement with foreign nations, they should only be fulfilled with “perfect faith” (Washington, 1796). This is quite unlike today, however, where we see the United States continuously getting involved with foreign nations like the Middle East. George Washington even went as far as to describe foreign intrigue as a “mischief.” In America’s government today it’s extremely common to see us getting involved with foreign nations without considering the consequences. “By weakening reverence for one’s own nation, parties give “to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens . . . facility to betray or sacrifice the interests of their own country without odium, sometimes even with popularity” (Arthur Milikh, National

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