Category Archives: 01 – George Washington

The episodes related to the presidency of George Washington

Interview with Lindsay Chervinsky

May 10, 202001 - George WashingtonAlexander Hamilton, Edmund Randolph, George Washington, Henry Knox, James Madison, John Adams, John Marshall, Oliver Wolcott Jr, Thomas Jefferson, Timothy Pickering, William Bradfordpresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: 1789-1809

George Washington established many precedents during his tenure of office, but one that had arguably the greatest impact was his establishment, not by law but by practice, of what we now know of as the Cabinet. To examine the beginnings of this institution and what it meant for the Washington presidency, I am joined in this special episode by Lindsay Chervinsky, a historian with the White House Historical Association and author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution. In our conversation, Lindsay provided great insights into Washington’s thought process in turning to the Cabinet as an advisory body as well as how the events and culture of the 1790s influenced the development of the executive branch. Additional resources for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Images: Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Ph.D., courtesy of the author, and “Henry Knox” by Gilbert Stuart [c. 1806], courtesy of Wikipedia

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V002 – The Washington Presidency in Five (or So) Minutes

May 12, 201901 - George WashingtonAlexander Hamilton, Democratic-Republican Party, Edmund Randolph, Federalists, France, George Washington, Great Britain, Henry Knox, James Madison, John Adams, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, Whiskey Rebellionpresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: 1789-1797

In response to a question from Les, I attempt to do a summation of the Washington presidency from memory in five minutes. Though the full series is recommended for more detail, I think the result is rather entertaining.

Images used for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

002 – The Washington Presidency in Five (or So) Minutes from Presidencies Podcast on Vimeo.

Featured Image: “George Washington (The Constable-Hamilton Portrait)” by Gilbert Stuart [c. 1797], courtesy of Wikipedia

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1.36 – Washington Q&A

August 12, 201801 - George WashingtonAlexander Hamilton, Election of 1796, George Clinton, George Washington, John Adams, John Jay, Maria Reynolds, Martha Washington, Patrick Henry, Reynolds Affair, slavery, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Pinckneypresidencies

I asked for your questions, and you sent in some great ones! As a part of the transition into a new presidency, we send George Washington off by addressing some lingering issues about his life and tenure including whether he thought of the Federalists as a political party, whether Hamilton would have become president if not for his affair with Maria Reynolds, did Washington really want to be called “His Excellency,” and what was up with the president tallying how many women he saw during his Southern tour. The answers to these questions and more can be found in this special episode of Presidencies! Source information for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: Statue of George Washington at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, courtesy of Matthew G Bisanz and Wikipedia

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1.35 – Washington Post-Presidency

June 24, 201801 - George WashingtonAlexander Hamilton, Bushrod Washington, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, George Washington, Gouverneur Morris, Henry Knox, James Madison, John Adams, Jonathan Trumbull Jr, Marquis de Lafayette, Martha Washington, Mount Vernon, Napoleon Bonaparte, slavery, Thomas Jefferson, Tobias Learpresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: 1796-1799

Washington envisioned a relaxing retirement at Mount Vernon with his family after leaving the presidency in March 1797, but it was not to be. Between personal issues and a return to public service, the last couple of years of Washington’s life prior to his sudden demise would be filled with business and breaches of trust and friendship. Source information for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: “Life of George Washington: The Christian” lithograph by Claude Regnier, original painting by Junius Brutus Stearns [c. 1853], courtesy of Library of Congress

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1.34 – The Final(ish) Curtain Call

June 10, 201801 - George WashingtonAaron Burr, Abigail Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Jackson, Anthony Wayne, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, France, George Washington, Henry Knox, James Madison, James McHenry, James Monroe, James Wilkinson, John Adams, John Marshall, Jonathan Trumbull Jr, Martha Washington, Oliver Wolcott Jr, Patrick Henry, Pierre Auguste Adet, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Mifflin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Pinckney, Timothy Pickering, Tobias Lear, William Branch Gilespresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: 1794-1797

After President Washington releases his Farewell Address, informing the nation that he would not seek another term, the 1796 election is carried out though, both domestically and abroad, there is much confusion about how exactly the United States would decide upon its next president. Meanwhile, the French plot to interfere with the election, the public attacks on Washington continue, and a military leader meets his untimely end. Source information for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: “”Evacuation day” and Washington’s triumphal entry in New York City, Nov. 25th, 1783,” Edmund Restein and Ludwig Restein, c. 1879, courtesy of the Library of Congress

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1.33 – Race to the Finish Line

May 27, 201801 - George WashingtonAbigail Adams, Albert Gallatin, Alexander Hamilton, Algiers, Andrew Jackson, Chancellor Robert Livingston, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Election of 1796, France, George Washington, James Callender, James Madison, James Monroe, John Adams, John Jay, John Marshall, Marquis de Lafayette, Napoleon Bonaparte, Pierre Auguste Adet, Rufus King, Spain, Tennessee, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Pinckney, Timothy Pickeringpresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: 1790-1796

Relations between the US and France deteriorate after the Jay Treaty goes into effect while Washington gets involved in the campaign to secure Lafayette’s release from his imprisonment in the Habsburg Monarchy, the administration takes care of business as the end of Washington’s second term draws closer, and the parties position themselves to launch into the 1796 presidential campaign as soon as Washington finally makes official his plans to retire (aka the worst kept secret in the 18th century). Source information for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: “Portrait of Marie Adrienne Francoise de Noailles, Marquise de La Fayette (1759-1807)”, courtesy of Wikipedia

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1.32 – Samsons and Solomons

May 13, 201801 - George WashingtonAlbert Gallatin, Alexander Hamilton, Edward Livingston, Fisher Ames, George Washington, James Madison, James McHenry, Jay Treaty, Marquis de Lafayette, Mazzei letter, Oliver Ellsworth, Oliver Wolcott Jr, Samuel Chase, Samuel Smith, slavery, Thomas Jefferson, Timothy Pickering, US Housepresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: 1795-1796

Though finally managing to resolve his personnel issues, Washington and his Cabinet find themselves faced with a host of new problems including a new round of debate over the Jay Treaty and political maneuverings by the Democratic-Republicans as the next presidential election draws ever closer. Source information for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: “James McHenry” by H Pollock, courtesy of Wikipedia

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1.31 – Runaway

April 29, 201801 - George WashingtonGeorge Washington, Martha Washington, Mount Vernon, Oliver Wolcott Jr, slavery, Tobias Learpresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: 1773-1848

On May 21st, 1796, Ona/Oney Judge slips out of the President’s House in Philadelphia, PA in a bid to obtain her freedom from enslavement. The story of her being born into slavery at Mount Vernon, her being brought to work in the Washingtons’ household, and the Washingtons’ attempts at bringing Ona back into captivity is a narrative that brings much insight into the institution of slavery in the United States in the mid-1790s as well as a more complete view of George Washington’s legacy. Source information can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: Newspaper advertisement of the escape of Oney Judge with a reward for her return, 24 May 1796, Philadelphia Gazette, courtesy of Wikipedia

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1.30 – Under Pressure, Near and Far

April 15, 201801 - George WashingtonAlexander Hamilton, Algiers, Barbary States, Charles Lee, David Humphreys, Edmund Randolph, France, George Washington, James Madison, James McHenry, John Adams, John Marshall, John Quincy Adams, John Rutledge, Morocco, North Africa, Patrick Henry, Rufus King, Samuel Chase, Spain, Thomas Pinckney, Timothy Pickering, William Branch Gilespresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: c. 16th century-1795

Diplomatic representatives of the Washington administration navigate new waters as they seek a peaceful resolution to conflicts with the Barbary States and Spain while the President continues his frustrating search to find candidates willing to fill his vacant Cabinet offices. Meanwhile, the Senate throws the President a curve ball by rejecting one of Washington’s appointments. Source information for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: “A Sea Fight with Barbary Corsairs,” Lorenzo A Castro [c. post-1681], courtesy of Wikipedia

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1.29 – The Not So Dream Team

April 1, 201801 - George WashingtonAlexander Hamilton, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Edmund Randolph, France, George Cabot, George Hammond, George Washington, Gouverneur Morris, Henry Knox, Jay Treaty, Jean-Antoine Fauchet, Marquis de Lafayette, Oliver Wolcott Jr, Pierre Auguste Adet, Rufus Kingpresidencies

Year(s) Discussed: 1792-1796

With positions in his Cabinet to fill, Washington is finding it difficult to convince anyone to join his administration. Meanwhile, the son of his Revolutionary War comrade the Marquis de Lafayette shows up in the US and places the President in a difficult position as he’s forced to choose between personal loyalty and public duty. Around the same time, the disgraced Edmund Randolph makes his way up and down the east coast gathering evidence to clear his name. Source information for this episode can be found at http://presidencies.blubrry.com.

Featured Image: Timothy Pickering by Charles Willson Peale, courtesy of Wikipedia

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Presidencies of the United States

A journey through presidential history from the beginning to the present day

Category Archives: 01 – George Washington

Interview with Lindsay Chervinsky

V002 – The Washington Presidency in Five (or So) Minutes

1.36 – Washington Q&A

1.35 – Washington Post-Presidency

1.34 – The Final(ish) Curtain Call

1.33 – Race to the Finish Line

1.32 – Samsons and Solomons

1.31 – Runaway

1.30 – Under Pressure, Near and Far

1.29 – The Not So Dream Team