Tuesday, March 12, 2019
His Excellency George Washington
His Excellency George capital letter His Excellency George Washington, written by Joseph J. Ellis, provides us a look at superstar of the most prestigious men in American history. However, instead of looking at the massive titan as most did, Ellis wrote about the man behind the secretary his successes, failures and desires that few if any have written about before. plot of land not as formal sounding to the reader with umpteen questions and out of the way comments by the author based on opinion instead of incident, corresponding on page 194 where in moment about Washington saying formal etiquette of the levees combined with Washingtons natural dignity (or was it his aloofness? ) to create. with the content in the parentheses being his own. This statement of his was neither followed up by any fact nor further discussion entirely which is necessary in these situations. Or is it?Ellis exhausted his book not focusing on the monolith exactly on the man, date back to before the French and Indian war where Washington chicken feeded to dumbfound recognition for his services, to his death in 1799. Ellis looked past all the brass and money of his success in the public and thoroughly explored his private and personal life. Ellis assorted Washington as a man who focused intently on his bottom line, as seen on page 165 where Ellis describes that the main creator for Washington wanting to get rid of his break ones backs was not for moral reasons but for economic reasons, as the buckle downs were no longer worth the investment.Ellis harped on the fact that single 3 letters of correspondence survived between George and Martha Washington (page 42), which was one of the few times e released his emotions considering his natural stone exterior. Ellis also vomit up considerable effort in to focusing on his home in Mount Vernon which was a centerpiece in Washingtons life. His life was changed forever by his wife Martha who, even though they originally married for economic reasons, became a mutually affectionate bond (Ellis, 42). From the beginning Washington was concerned about his future tense(a) in the aristocratic- like planter class of Virginia.Being the 2nd son in the family George was not slated to receive his fathers fortune, so he would need to find some other career where he could aka one. He got his first Job as a surveyor sent to check on unload in the Shenandoah Valley (Ellis, 10). It is presumed by Ellis that this is the point at which Washington saw the expansive and untouched land to the west, a driving force behind his ambitions both at the start of the change (Ellis, 57) and during his presidency. During his youth, America was a land where most identified themselves as British, Virginian army and worked alongside the British intently during the French and Indian war.However many of the colonists believed they fought the French and Indian war to be allowed to expand west. This thought was eliminate when the proclam ation of 1763 was released, forbidding colonist expansion westward. This was one of the starting points where colonists began to savor some resentment to the British Crown, and only snowballed with every act thereafter. As more taxes and acts were being placed on colonists more and more kindle about a lack or representation in parliament began to seep into American politics.Many of the more radical members who wanted full insulation/retaliation became to be known as the Whig arty (Ellis, 62). These Whig were inspired by the Country Party (Ellis, 62-63) of England and wanted to establish a republican like government that better represented the colonists in the Americas. As time went on and the revolution ended, while the framing of the constitution took place and there on after, 2 political parties in the United States began to take route. The first major(ip) group was the Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton which Washington was a adorer of.The Federalists are precursors to mo dern day republicans. On the other hand a large group of people in the south didnt like the centralistic ideas of the Federalists, fearing that the Federalists would destroy their agriculturally based economies (Ellis, 204-205). These men went on to form the Republican Party, or Anti-Federalists, which is the modern precursor to the Democratic Party. While a member of it Washington hated and despised these 2 parties as he feared it would lead to a deadlock (which we can see today). Many decisions that would affect Americas social future were decided in Washingtons era.A large one, the legality of slaves was one that was with him from the time of the revolution where he considered offering freedom for those who fought for him, until he finally passed away (Ellis, 263). While personally against slavery from a moral stand point posterior in his life at the beginning he took advantage of slave labor to help create his massive estates that were pivotal to his position in Virginia societ y. He did have 1 condition however that most slave owners didnt have he would never sell members of a slave family, only the whole family together (Ellis, 258).Joseph J. Ellis created a biography that changed some perspective of Washington. No longer an immovable figure of greatness, he was portrayed as a man who went through hardships, strife, and success, while still keeping his goals and ideals alive. He was a man with a deep capacity for emotion who had learned self-will and was always looking towards the future. He saw George as a man who would do what it took to get the Job done, and extend his legacy forever. Most importantly, Ellis caducous new light on the man and not the monolith of His Excellency George Washington.
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