George Washington’s Farewell Address (1796) was a letter from one of the greatest American leaders to the citizens of the country providing explanations about his choice to not seek a third term. The Farewell was something deeper, it was guidance and support for American residents to have a safe and happy future. The president underlined the importance of unity during a harsh period for the country. George Washington underlined that providing loyalty to the parties can threaten the government and the nation.
Washington believed it would be best for America to stay far from foreign affairs but be neutral with all the countries. The president sounded concerned about the nationalism of the United States and the future of the country; however, it could be hard to follow all the guidance. Staying constantly neutral in external politics might be hard to implement due to constantly changing political events.
Washington’s Farewell Address questioned the impact of the letter on the current population of the US. Another question is if the history of the US would have drastically changed if the president had taken the third term.
References
Washington’s Farewell Address. (1796). National Archives. Web.