Washington’s Legacy

George Washington was effective as the first President of the United States because he set important precedents, resolved domestic disputes, and established a foreign policy. Washington set many important precedents for presidents after him to follow. One of the first precedents that Washington set was choosing a simple title instead of amore dignified title. Many of the European monarchs had more dignified and longer titles and Washington did not want people to link him to a European monarch. This was an important precedent to set because this would be how all of the other presidents would be referred to as. Washington stepping down from Presidency after two terms is such an important precedent because it showed the other presidents that you shouldn’t serve for an extended amount of time. Washington did not want his position to appear to the people like a king and he did not want to serve for life for this reason. Another precedent that Washington set was Washington creating five executive departments to assist him in his job as President. The five executive departments that Washington created to help assist him were the State, Treasury, and War Departments, and the Office of Attorney General and Office of Postmaster. Washington set a precedent in regard to his Cabinet because the Cabinet gives him advice and Washington chose well-known leaders to serve in his Cabinet. The precedents that Washington set are very important and are still in effect and being used today.
One of the domestic disputes that George Washington had to handle was the Whiskey Rebellion. To raise money for the treasury, Congress approved a tax on all liquor made and sold in the U.S.. Many farmers were not happy with this tax since many of them made their corm into whiskey to make it easier to transport. Many people refused to pay the tax and farmers rebelled. Protests and mobs broke out. Washington responded quickly by sending over 12,000 troops to collect their taxes. Many farmers the fled back to their farms. Hamilton wanted to have the leaders of the rebellion executed but Washington disagreed and pardoned them. In the Northwest Territory dispute, the British were building forts in Ohio, which was American land, and Native Americans were vandalizing American settlements.