...In his piece titled “The Greatness of George Washington”, Gordon S. Wood is trying to show the reader that George Washington was great not because of his intellect or his military genius, but because of his virtuous character. When you look closely at George Washington’s life, it is evident that he was not a prominent scholar, especially when compared to some other Founding Fathers. Although he was brilliant at running his plantation, Washington never went to college, and, as Jefferson said, his “‘colloquial talents were not above mediocrity” (Oates 135). For these reasons, it is hard to imagine Washington “expressing his views on Plato in the Jefferson and John Adams did” (Oates 135). Also, even though his role as general during the Revolutionary...
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...Crossing by David Hackett Fischer CONCLUSION ~ The War and the American Revolution We have a very difficult card to play. We often have to act by the moon or twilight and leave the World to judge it in the clear sunshine. -General William Maxwell to Adam Stephen, April 10, 17771 On New Year’s Day in 1777, Robert Morris sent George Washington a letter that rings strangely in a modern ear. “The year 1776 is over,” Morris wrote. “I am heartily glad of it and hope you nor America will ever be plagued with such another.” Washington shared that feeling, which was very far from our own. We celebrate 1776 as the most glorious year in American history. They remembered it as an agony, especially the “dark days” of autumn.2 Americans have known many dark days, from the starving times in early settlements to the attack on the World Trade Center. These were the testing times and the pivotal moments of our history. It was that way in 1776, after the decision for independence and the military disasters in New York. In early December, British commanders believed that they were very close to ending the rebellion, and American leaders feared that they might be right. Then came a reversal of fortune, and three months later the mood had changed on both sides. By the spring of 1777, many British officers had concluded that they could never win the war. At the same time, Americans recovered from their despair and were confident that they would not be defeated. That double...
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...GEORGE WASHINGTON THESIS Coming from a modest family and not having a superior level of education, George Washington would prove worthy to become a true leader at a young age. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Colonial Virginia and was the first child of his fathers’ second marriage. His father, Augustine Washington and mother Mary Ball Washington were owners of a tobacco plantation and gained a reputation as being moderately prosperous. As a young boy, George Washington suffered many family tragedies with the loss of several of his siblings and by the age eleven the loss of his father. George Washington would have his older step/half brother Lawrence, who was an intelligent man, an experienced soldier and the owner by inheritance of his fathers’ land and responsibilities; raise and guide him, until he too would lose a battle with tuberculosis in 1752. (Haworth, 8-9) George Washington received an education in his town school as a boy. It was a simple school of that which could be afforded by the neighborhood. There he would learn the basic skills; reading, and writing. His father Augustine seemed to have more of an impact on his mind intellectually teaching George moral culture, virtue and inspired him to appreciate justice, generosity and most of all a love of truth. During...
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...Who is the best President? In this arguementative essay i will be debating who is the better president Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington. I will be telling some strengths and some weaknessess of each president. First i will be talking about Abraham lincoln and what some of his strengths and weaknessess are. Some strengths that Abraham had was that he "would, however, be the figure to eventually end slavery." and he also finished the civil war between the North and South. Overall he was one of the nations strongest leaders and president. Next on the list is Thomas Jefferson America's third president. Along with being the writer of the Declaration of Independence, contributing to the creation of the Constitution, he was...
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...General, Captain, Leader, president, brave, admirable, courageous, Can you guess who i'm describing? In case you were unsure, I am talking about George Washington the first president of the United states of America. You may think you know a lot about the first President of the country you live in, but I know for a fact that by the time you are done reading this essay you will know every little detail about George washington's life. Some questions I am going to answer is the question, What kind of effect did he or she have on American history? I will also answer the question What made this him such a great leader? And last but not least In what ways was their life remarkable and admirable? Dont worry! All of these questions will be answered soon, so read along to find out what kind of affect he had on this great country....
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...Lies, deceit, deception, these are not words that you commonly associate with George Washington, but as it turns out he was a master at all of those. Even though he is primarily known as the father of our country and our first president; he was also a master spy. Washington was a Visionary Leader and Ethical Leader while leading our nation’s fight for freedom from the British, and as the country’s first president. In this paper we will review how he used visionary traits to win the revolutionary war, and then we will discuss how his strong ethical traits ensured our country remained true to its founding principles. I will then describe how I used many of the same Visionary Leadership and Ethical Leadership traits while I served in Afghanistan....
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...As a leader, is it better to be feared, or revered? Lynn Dean Excelsior College Abstract With every generation of leaders, the ageless debate surfaces; as a leader, is it better to be feared or revered? Leadership attributes, skills, and styles are the driving forces to lead others to successful mission accomplishment. Good leadership is based on these fundamental, unchanging qualities, such as competence, character, and a profound sense of responsibility. Styles of leadership may vary over time or may evolve with changing circumstances, but these bedrock qualities are foundations of a leaders' substance. Profiling historic leaders shows how these qualities are embodied by these leaders. Even with these qualities being present in all successful leaders, they can still be perceived as either feared or revered. It stands in good contention that successful leaders, whether feared or revered possessed the same qualities. The differences in the perception, is in how the leaders deployed their leadership philosophies. Many leaders are revered by their followers, and feared by their enemies, as where other leaders are feared by their followers. Keywords: Leaders, leadership. As a Leader, is it Better to be Feared, or Revered? Machiavelli believed that a great leader should be feared rather than loved. A midstream conservative approach is to say that it’s better to be both loved and feared, but we know in all reality that this is a nearly unattainable...
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...The leader I chose from my table was Alexander Hamilton. His Machiavellian manipulation of people around him and his innate ability to get things done makes him an excellent example of leadership. . Born to a prostitute whose husband ran away and had her imprisoned, he displayed an early affinity for politics by negotiating a job with the British East India Company despite being six years too young at the age of eight. His mother died at ten years old to disease, but Alexander found a man willing to take him in. When that man committed suicide, Alexander went to live on his own. When he was fourteen, a hurricane struck his town and destroyed everything he had. Undeterred, he made the most of the situation and wrote a story about the events. His writing was so good the leader of his village led an effort to raise money for him to go to college in America. He had made his way up from a child who should have never been born to the prodigy of his hometown. When he...
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...George Washington and John Adams were the first two presidents of the United States. They played vital roles in creating the American Republic, and had it not been for them, our current American Republic would be very different or possibly even nonexistent. Yet, despite the hard work they put into our nation’s beginnings, they were also very different. Both men came from the same era, but could one be considered better than the other? George Washington, born on February 11, 1732, in Westmoreland Country, Virginia was our nation's first President. Washington and his ancestors were quite influential in Virginia “The patriarch of the family, John Washington, had come over from England in 1657 and established the Washingtons as respectable, if not...
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...George Washington Farewell Address . G0VT 200 – BO8 February 24, 2014 George Washington Farewell Address Introduction President George Washington was a natural leader; where some of his policies still affect the world today. In September 1796, President Washington gave his Farewell Address to the people of the United States. He addressed the Nation close to the end of his second term as President of the United States. The American people were not prepared for what he had to say. They were shocked that he stated he was running for a third term and that he was going to leave the office of President and Public Office completely. The American people were disturbed because at that present time the Nation needed him. President Washington Farewell Address was hand written and consist of thirty two pages. President Washington Farewell Address was an outline of how he thought the country should follow his policies after he left office. In his Farewell Address he made three major points; first was unity, second was forming of political parties and third was foreign policies. He felt as though these were the things that the country needs to know and how to keep the country together. The major point of his Farewell Address was Unity. He stated that Unity was a “real independence.” He also called for National Unity with other Nations that will achieve success. He wanted Unity among all Nations. He stated...
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...“Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company . ” Says president George Washington . George was the first president of the United States during the years 1789- 1797 . He was president for a few years then died two years later . George’s family held some distinction in England and was granted land by Henry VIII. Much of the family's wealth was lost during the Puritan Revolution and in 1657 George’s grandfather, Lawrence Washington migrated to Virginia. Little information was available about the...
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...advancements were for Caucasian leaders whom thrived such as Patton, Custer, and York. The accomplishments of these men should not succumb to diminishment because they in fact earned what they received regardless of skin color. However, they did not face as many hindrances as African-American leaders such as Powell, Flipper, and McKinney. The accomplishments of these men paved the way for future African-Americans to flourish. These men along with the Buffalo Soldiers and Tuskegee Airmen provided heroes for young African-Americans to admire and thrive to be like. Thrive to break barriers, prove wrong unwarranted doubt, and change the perception of a racially entrenched America. They were the beginning, some of the firsts, and they initiated the way for a new way of thinking. They started the healing in a deeply seeded illness. An illness called hate. It is an outstandingly hard illness to cure; however, not one of impossibilities. These valiant African-American leaders set underway a cure for a race, a nation, and a dream. African American Servicemen Contributions to Military History The United States Armed Forces has been one of great failures and great successes. One of its greatest failures was the inability to recognize at the time the contributions made by African-Americans as well as their ability for greatness like so many Caucasian Servicemen. Caucasian Servicemen such as General George S. Patton, General George A. Custer, and SGT Alvin York...
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...University of Phoenix Material Influences on the Constitution Table Write one or two paragraphs in each section. Include citations for your sources. Documents | Summary | What was its influence on the Constitution? | Magna Carta | Issued by King John of England in 1215 when Englishmen went to the colonies they were given charters that guaranteed them and their heirs would “have and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects.” The document clearly stated that no free man could be prosecuted by any means other than the law of the land. ReferenceAll About History (unkn) The Magna Carta. Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/magna_carta/ on June 6, 2011. | This was used as a template 575 years later in the Bill of Rights toward the fifth amendment. The fifth amendment guarantees “No person shall… be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” | Mayflower Compact | Drawn up by the 41 adult males from the Mayflower, the new settlers from Plymouth created a contract with fair and equal laws, for the “general good”. The Mayflower settlers knew from previous attempts without some type of government they would fail. It allowed them to practice Protestant instead of the Church of England and other liberties without command. ReferenceFeatured Documents (unkn) The Mayflower Compact. Retrieved from http://www.allabouthistory.org/mayflower-compact.htm on June 6, 2011. | The Constitution was created on...
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...British and the 13 colonies. The British were supposed to win the war. However, in the end, the 13 colonies ended up winning for reasons that were ingenious. They knew the land that the war was fought on, they knew tactics that were dastardly and to the British cowardly, and they did not know of an ally that would help them, the French. The history behind this brilliant victory is definitely an interesting one. The war was being fought on the land that the Americans were settling on. The Americans knew the land and all of its features. They knew about all the hills that were great for protection, they knew about which ponds and lakes were hidden so they could set up camps, they knew about the climate that they were living in such as what time of year the cold winds from the north would be forced upon them, and they knew about the secret paths that they could flank the British from. Even if some of the soldiers didn’t know the land, they had local Patriots that would help them find secret paths and physical features that would them in their battles. The British, on the other hand, had no knowledge of the countryside. They were also recovering from the French and Indian War, so money was an issue for the British. It was expensive to send ships back and forth from Britain to America. This was another home field advantage that the Americans had. All the Americans had to do was simply gather materials from the countryside. It was not as expensive for the Americans as it...
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...Leadership Basics Defined Morris E. Shepherd Jr. Columbia Southern University Introduction Leadership is defined by the Military as: The process of influencing others to accomplish the mission by providing purpose, direction, and motivation. Many of the most influential people in history have served time within their countries military and have gone on to become influential leaders of their country, such as: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, and Alexander the Great. By taking an example of how the military has produced countless leaders many companies can use this example to help create both a positive and productive working environment. Today many of the larger fortune 500 corporations require their executive staff members to read the book The Art of War by the Author Sun Tzu. Although this book is primarily a strategic military manual it clearly amalgamates military strategy and leadership principles in order to successfully win a war or in modern times to be a financial success. Key factors that can determine a successful leadership environment Organization is a key element in being successful. When ideas are properly thought out and planned things will always flow smoothly. While it may or may not seem plausible, organization is a very important factor in being successful. For example, whenever an important project is due whether it is for school or work, the first thing that a person would...
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