This document provides background information on George Washington's Farewell Address from 1796. It was Washington's formal resignation from the presidency where he addressed the nation. The address touched on several issues he felt needed improvement, like partisan politics. It also discussed contemporary events like Thomas Jefferson's criticism of Washington, Jay's Treaty that was controversial but increased security, and the Whiskey Rebellion that Washington suppressed to demonstrate federal authority.

1. Daanyaal Khan
Alex Wolcott
Period 2
Chapter 4
“The Farewell”

2. Farewell Address Background info
 Washington’s formal
resignation from office
 Published on sept.19, 1796
 Addressed to “The People of
the United States”
 Included contributions from
Alexander Hamilton and James
Madison
 Discussed many problems that
Washington felt should be
improved for the betterment of
the nation

3. Reaction
 The country was in
shock

4. Thomas Jefferson’s slander of
Washington
 Was the principal author of
the Declaration of
Independence
 Believed Washington was
turning America into a
monarchy
 Jefferson was a huge
driving force for the
federalist conspiracy
against Washington and
the U.S government

5. Jay’s Treaty
 Treaty negotiated with the English by John Jay in 1795
 Gave England right to retain tariff’s on American exports, gave
English imports favored status in the U.S.A, and forced the U.S.A to
compensate for pre-revolutionary debts
 Main purpose of the treaty was safety from the British rather than
economic advantages
 Was passed by Congress even though the majority of the American
population opposed it through violent protests
 Showed the weaknesses in American politics by exposing how much power
small, select group of people had

6. Whiskey Rebellion
 4 Western Pennsylvanian
counties openly protested a
whiskey tax in 1794
 The tax was passed by
Alexander Hamilton in order to
pay off the national debt
 Viewed by Washington as a
direct threat to federal gov.
authority
 Washington sent the militia in
to violently suppress rebellion
 Shows a direct comparison
with the English gov.
suppression that the new
nation fought against and
hated