Because the US government and the office of the President had just begun, Washington had no precise examples to follow about what he should do as President. As a result, he needed to establish precedents to reassure the people he would not act like a king.
Washington's Precedents:
Yearly "State of the Union" Speech
Only served 2 terms
In 1796, President George Washington set another president when he did not seek reelection. After serving as president for eight years, he did not seek a third term.
In September 1796, Washington read a famous letter to the nation, now known as his Farewell Address.
In this document, Washington offered advice on how the nation should move forward:
He felt that Americans would do best to work in harmony.
He wanted people to put aside political and regional divisions.
He closed his address by stating that the United States should remain neutral when other countries went to war and warned against permanent alliances with other countries.
Washington’s Farewell Address
Main Points:
Warned Against Political Parties
Warned Against Global Alliances
Be Cautious of Over Taxing
George Washington died on December 14, 1799.