Critiquing Presentations Quick Check

Question

2 of 52 of 5 Items

Feature

"President Washington's Farewell Address, Sep 19, 1797"
by Miller Center

For this you have every inducement of sympathy and interest. Citizens by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.

But these considerations, however powerfully they address themselves to your sensibility, are greatly outweighed by those which apply more immediately to your interest. Here every portion of our country finds the most commanding motives for carefully guarding and preserving the union of the whole.

Transcript of President George Washington's September 19, 1796 Farewell Address

Question
Use the speech to answer the question.

President George Washington delivered this farewell address before leaving office in 1796. Which statement describes President Washington’s appeal to his audience in this excerpt from his speech?

(1 point)
Responses

He stresses that natural-born and immigrant Americans have a common bond.
He stresses that natural-born and immigrant Americans have a common bond.

He asserts that their differences should be a source of patriotic pride.
He asserts that their differences should be a source of patriotic pride.

He describes the dangers of political factions to national unity.
He describes the dangers of political factions to national unity.

He tries to unite his audience under their shared background and mission.

Answer 1

The correct statement that describes President Washington’s appeal to his audience in the excerpt from his farewell address is:

He tries to unite his audience under their shared background and mission.

In the excerpt, Washington emphasizes the commonalities among the citizens, regardless of whether they are natural-born or immigrants, highlighting their shared religion, manners, habits, and political principles, as well as their joint efforts in achieving independence and liberty. This focus on unity under a common identity and collective experience is central to his appeal.