George Washington: A Look into the American Presidents Collection

Our first president's unique contributions and qualifications are expertly outlined by a leading management scholar and an expert on eighteenth-century history. Washington's impact on the public, as highlighted by Burns and Dunn, sets a solid foundation for future consensus within the department.

George Washington, a revolutionary hero, founding president, and esteemed figure of the younger republic, remains a prominent public figure of his era. His image today reflects meticulous cultivation of his public persona, embodying values such as character, self-sacrifice, and foresight.

In navigating the powers of the chief department outlined in the Structure, Washington sought advice from key advisers to set precedents for future leaders. He aimed to establish consensus as the guiding principle of the presidency, leaving behind a legacy of successful collective leadership experiments, robust government departments, and enduring economic and foreign policies. Burns and Dunn delve into Washington's evolving discontent with public life and how his insistence on consensus inadvertently sowed the seeds of dissent and political factions. In their captivating biography, Burns and Dunn paint a vivid portrait of the man beyond the carefully crafted mythology surrounding him.