Tyler+H.

Tyler H.Tyler Holton Mr. Veliz B Period **__ George Washington __** After the long and dreadful war, George Washington had planned to go back home in Virginia and live the rest of his life at his house. But he didn’t know that most of the citizens liked him so much that they wanted to choose him to be the most important person in the nation. Washington accepted the job and became the very first president of the United States of America. On April 30, 1789 Washington took oath in office as president. All throughout his presidency he faced many challenges and most of the challenges he managed to overcome them and it turned out as accomplishments.

Initially, being the first president of the United States meant that he had no precedents to work from. So he knew that everything he did would become a tradition for the presidents that would be elected after him. Washington had to start with nothing, meaning he had to hire people in Congress and all of the places that needed to be filled for a successful time as president. He formed the nation’s first cabinet that held Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox, and Edmund Randolph. Jefferson as the Secretary of State, Hamilton as the Secretary of Treasury, Knox as Secretary of War, and Randolph as the attorney general. Putting Alexander Hamilton as the Secretary of Treasury was one George Washington’s biggest accomplishments that he made as president.

As time went by, Hamilton tried to build the economy and began to build banks in the states and he also proposed tariffs. A tariff is a tax on imported goods. Hamilton also wanted to raise more taxes and the Congress allowed them to happen. One of the taxes was about whiskey being distilled in the United States. Many people didn’t agree with this decision. Most farmers were unhappy by having to pay money for what they grew. A large mob of people with deadly weapons attacked tax collectors and burned down buildings. This event became known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Washington heard about this and decided to stop it immediately. He and his army rode to stop the chaos and as soon as they passed over the Appalachian Mountains the rebellion collapsed. This was one of the challenges that he faced and was able to overcome it.

Following, the Native Americans who lived west of the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River denied that the U.S. had any authority over them. The Natives began trading with the Spanish and the British and both countries said that they would help the Natives if the Americans tried to force them to do anything. Washington began to think about, “What if the European countries ambush us through the Northwest Territory.” So he felt most comfortable by signing a treaty with the Native Americans. But some American settlers ignored the treaty and just kept moving into the Native’s land. Soon after, fighting broke out between them. Washington sent an army led by General Arthur St. Clair to restore orders with the Northwest Territory. In November 1791, St. Clair’s forces were badly beaten and had lost over 600 American soldiers. As time passed, the Natives started building forts closer to American settlement. President Washington sent another army that was led by a more experienced person, Anthony Wayne and this turned out successful. In August 1794, his army defeated over 1,000 Native Americans and soon after, they signed the Treaty of Greenville which enabled Natives to surrender most of the land in present-day Ohio.

Around the time when Washington was re-elected for his second term, the French went to war against the British. In a few areas of the United States, people began choosing sides and started finding ways on how to give their side an advantage in the war. Washington hoped that they could stay neutral because he knew that his country couldn’t afford to lose any more people at this time. The people who favored Britain began trading with them and the French got really mad because of everything that they did to help the U. S. overcome battles and wars against the British, they still help Britain defeat them. France sent Edmund Gen ê t to America to try and convince Americans to fight with them. President George Washington tried to discourage his people by issuing the Proclamation of Neutrality. Gen ê t’s plan soon failed but he was able to recruit a few hundred Americans to fight on their ships against Britain. When the British heard about some Americans helping the French they became very frustrated and they captured U.S. ships and their people and forced them to join in their Navy, this became known as impressment. Washington sent John Jay to Britain to try to negotiate with them in having peace with each other. Britain agreed with jay’s Treaty. In doing this, they withdrew all of their people from American soil, and pay back all of the money that they damaged when they captured U.S. ships, and to allow the U.S. to trade in the Caribbean with them. Many Americans were angry that the Treaty had nothing to do with impressment and them interfering with American trade.

Over Washington’s time as president, he faced many challenges within his own country and with other countries. In most of the challenges, he came out with huge accomplishments to help our country be at peace with each other and with other countries. In September 1796, Washington announced that he is going to retire and not want to be re-elected for a third term as president. This was his last precedent that he made in our country for future presidents. He went to live in his home in Virginia for the rest of his life. In my eyes, George Washington is if not the greatest president in U.S. history he is somewhere towards the top.