"President Washington's Farewell Address, Sep 19, 1797"

Question

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

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

Answer 1

In the excerpt from President George Washington's Farewell Address, the statement that best describes his appeal to his audience is:

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

Washington emphasizes the commonalities among Americans, including shared religion, manners, habits, and political principles, as well as their collective efforts in achieving independence. This highlights the importance of unity and shared identity among all citizens, regardless of their origins.