George Washington’s Farewell Address

Vocabulary Foreign Policy Foreign policy is how a nation acts

towards other nations

Neutrality Neutrality means to not take sides in a conflict

Isola3onism Isolationism is a policy of keeping your country removed from other conflicts in the world and not getting involved

Poli3cal Par3es Political parties are groups that share similar values and goals who join together to gain political power

Washington’s Message in his Farewell Address •  On September 19, 1796

George Washington gave the nation two important warnings in his farewell address: 1.  Stay neutral and do not

get involved in European conflicts

2.  Do not allow political parties to be created

Washington’s Message in his Farewell Address •  Washington endorsed a

foreign policy of neutrality and isolationism

•  He wanted to take advantage of America’s distance from Europe to keep us out of European wars

•  He also worried about the divisions among people that political parties cause within nations

Washington’s Message in his Farewell Address •  Washington’s warnings

were completely ignored •  Even as Washington

made his speech, tensions with Great Britain were growing once again

•  Within Washington’s cabinet, tensions between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were growing into the first political parties