Celebrate America’s 250th
After you learn about George Washington's early years in the film Young Washington, browse the resources below to discover the story of the nation's founding and engage with the ideas that continue to shape America today.
America's 250th Resources
Discover America’s 250th resources, including engaging content, events, and educational activities that connect learners of all ages with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the ideals that continue to shape our nation.
Learn MoreSigners' Biographies
Meet the 89 individuals who signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution through historian Carol Berkin's vivid biographies in written and video form. From familiar names to forgotten heroes, get to know the people who risked everything for our new nation.
Learn MoreCivic Virtue Course
Resolution: George Washington's Self-Command
In this module of the What the Founders Meant by Happiness: A Journey Through Virtue and Character course, you will explore the virtue of resolution as the Founders understood it: steady self-command, or the ability to let reason rule passion in moments of strain. Through the life and leadership of George Washington, you will examine how emotional discipline shaped decisive moments in the nation’s early history, from averting crisis to relinquishing power. Washington’s example shows why the Founders believed that self-mastery was not only a personal virtue, but a public necessity for sustaining constitutional democracy.
Primary source documents
Farewell Address (1796)
In 1796, President George Washington published his “Farewell Address” to the nation. After two terms in office, Washington decided to retire from public life—clearing the way for the peaceful transfer of power from one President to another.
Learn MoreFirst Inaugural Address (1789)
On April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States. He then delivered his First Inaugural Address to a joint session of Congress in New York City’s Federal Hall.
Learn MoreLetter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport (1790)
On August 21, 1790, President George Washington composed a letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, and to its leader, Moses Seixas, expressing America’s enduring commitment to the principle of tolerance and the freedom of conscience.
Learn MorePodcasts
Lindsay Chervinsky and Edward Larson on George Washington
Acclaimed historians Lindsay Chervinsky and Edward Larson discuss Washington and his role in the Revolutionary War and America’s founding.
