by Myron Magnet
Valley Forge, Pa., Washington’s quarters at, 140, 154–56, 159, 161, 327–28
Vanbrugh, John, 56
Van Rensselaer, Alida Schuyler, 19
Van Rensselaer, Stephen, 392
Van Schaack, Peter, 232–33
Vaughan, Benjamin, 244, 246
Vaughan, Samuel, 177
Vergennes, Charles Gravier, Comte de, 151, 241–47
veto, federal, 344–45
vice-admiralty courts, nonjury trials by, 41, 69, 226
Vices of the Political System of the United States (J. Madison), 336
“Victory or Death” password, 145
violence:
in American culture, 381–82
and anarchy, 228–30, 278
against civilians, 140–41
in Jay family history, 220–21
mob, 68, 87–88
against Stamp Act, 43, 223–24
Virginia, 50, 69, 76, 78, 80, 84, 174, 255
American Revolution in, 165–68
wealth of, 58
Virginia, University of, 312–13, 380, 399
Virginia Assembly, 324, 326, 333
Virginia Capes, Battle of the, 168
Virginia Constitutional Convention, 399
Virginia Convention, 124, 125
Virginia Declaration of Rights, 4
Virginia Journal, 367
Virginia Plan, 336–37, 344
Virginia Ratifying Convention, 184, 287, 337, 347, 348, 351–53, 364
Virginia Resolutions, 364–65, 388
Virginia Resolves (1769), 123
virtue:
culture of, 21
emulation theory and, 109–10
as essential to freedom, 76, 184–85, 342, 377
human capability for, 9–10, 265
and religion, 252–53
as Washington’s core value, 200–201
Vlissingen (later Flushing), N.Y., 270
Walker, William, 56
Walpole, Horace, 102
Walpole, Robert, 57, 64
War Department, U.S., 390
War Hawks, 389–91
War of 1812, 81, 86, 211, 389–98
financing of, 390–91
peace negotiations for, 396–98
roots of, 259, 379
U.S. military strategy for, 391–93
Washington, D.C torched in, 172
“war of posts” strategy, 139–40
Warville, Jacques-Pierre Brissot de, 367
Washington, Ann, 111, 112
Washington, Augustine, 94–95, 97, 99
Washington, Bushrod, 367
Washington, Charles, 117
Washington, D.C., 55, 401
as seat of government, 192, 206, 284, 355, 375–77
torching of, 172, 395–97, 396
violence in, 381–82
in War of 1812, 172, 392–96
Washington, George, 6, 8, 63, 83, 84, 85, 290, 367, 370, 385
accomplishments of, 93–94, 206–7
aristocratic bearing of, 96, 111–12, 113, 193, 196, 377
arms and crest of, 113, 193
birth of, 63
as bold and assertive, 130–31, 149, 150, 165, 169
as childless, 12, 114, 161, 193, 273
as commander of Continental Army, 46, 71, 77, 81, 93, 110
as conservative revolutionary, 120
critical and withholding mother of, 95, 97, 110
death of, 113–14, 209, 213, 216
dependents of, 213
emerging revolutionary spirit of, 120–27, 148
emulation theory espoused by, 109–10, 123, 164, 201
as entrepreneur, 115–18, 121–22
ethical ambivalence of, 115–18
eulogy for, 51
evolving stance on slavery of, 116, 212, 213–16, 348
evolving value system of, 200–201
family background of, 94–97, 113, 266
as farmer, 178–79, 212, 213, 217
financial status of, 111–13, 189–90, 212–13, 218
First Inaugural Address of, 184, 186–87, 193, 351
Gates’s disparagement of, 152–53, 234–35
and G. Mason, 124–25
and Hamilton, 12, 179, 186, 272–75, 286, 292, 300
heroic bearing of, 106, 145–49, 150, 151, 158, 190
horsemanship of, 99, 190
introspection of, 200–201
isolation of, 191
and Jay, 235
and Jefferson, 193–94, 206, 209
journals and accounts of, 97, 99, 101–2
as landowner, 98, 113, 116–18, 181, 212–13, 218
leadership qualities of, 93, 98, 123–27, 141, 147–48, 150, 252
love and respect for, 173, 174, 191
love of theater of, 128, 174, 183
lucky calamities of, 111, 118, 127
and Madison, 179, 194, 205–6, 209, 344, 351–52
marriage of, 110, 111, 113–15, 120
Mount Vernon home of, see Mount Vernon
in opposition to French Revolution, 196–98
as passionate about clothing, 96–97, 111–12, 125, 128, 182
on patriotism, 209–11
penmanship of, 121
physical appearance of, 98–99
as pragmatic realist, 159, 173
praise for, 154
prestige of, 182
prudence of, 211
in pursuit of fame, 93–127, 133, 186, 200
real-estate schemes of, 117–18, 121
on religion, 207–9
in retirement, 211–18
role playing and sense of drama of, 128–29, 133, 137, 190
Second Inaugural Address of, 195
self-improvement and self-creation of, 94–98
self-mastery and fortitude of, 115, 126–27, 144, 199, 200–201
sense of destiny of, 126–27
sense of modesty of, 119–20, 126, 188–89, 195–96
social interaction of, 176, 177, 189–91
spectacles of, 173
stepchildren of, 114–15, 118
surveying career of, 97, 98, 111, 118
wilderness exploits of, 97–108
will of, 127, 215–16
Washington, George, military career:
in British colonial army, 98–110, 120
as commander-in-chief of American Continental Army, 109–10, 114, 119, 126, 128–75, 227, 228, 229, 240, 272–74, 318, 327–28, 330–31
as commander of Fairfax militia, 125
creative inspirational battle strategy of, 132–33, 136–37, 139–40, 144–45, 149–50
in diplomatic mission to French in Ohio, 99–102
disparagement of, 152–54
end of, 174–75
errors in, 142
in French and Indian War, 102–8, 110, 130, 161
growing celebrity of, 102
heroic military image of, 106, 145–49, 150, 151, 158
military philosophy of, 129–30, 140, 148
military prowess of, 107
in Whiskey Rebellion, 202–3
Washington, George, political career:
accomplishments of, 206–7
colonial, 111
at Constitutional Convention, 178, 181–82, 335–37
dilemmas over acceptance of presidency, 182, 185–88, 195–96
economic theory of, 180
emerging activism of, 124–27
evolving political theory of, 179–85
farewell address of, 194
Federalist ideals of, 108, 163, 179–80
first inauguration of, 47, 184, 186–87, 189–90, 193, 254
first term of, 186–95, 351–52
on foreign policy, 198, 199, 205, 206, 211
in inventing of presidency, 187–89, 191
isolationist policy of, 205
as key Founder, 11–12
kingship eschewed by, 193–94, 199–200
neutrality policy of, 198–99, 205, 206, 258, 370–71
partisan Republican critic
ism of, 191–96, 199–200, 201, 205
political vision of, 93–94, 107–10, 123, 124–27, 161–62, 179–83, 205, 207–11
as president, 11–12, 93, 176–218, 256–58, 260, 281, 323, 356, 361–62
presidential tours of, 190–91
second inauguration of, 195–96
second term of, 195–207, 290
Washington, George Steptoe, 370
Washington, Jack, 97, 103, 143
Washington, Lawrence (G. Washington’s ancestor), 113
Washington, Lawrence (G. Washington’s half-brother), 96, 97, 111
Washington, Lucy Payne, 370, 394
Washington, Lund, 142–43, 159, 165
Washington, Martha Dandridge Custis, 47, 110, 111, 113–16, 118, 125, 191, 213, 217–18, 273, 300
death of, 213, 215, 216
grandson of, 119
on slavery, 214–16
at Valley Forge, 155–56
watches, 75
Watterston, James, 384
Wayles, John, 58, 316
Wayne, “Mad” Anthony, 158, 172, 206, 257
wealth:
corruption and, 10
of Jay, 254
of Livingstons, 18–19, 45
of New World, 57–58, 64, 66, 84, 161, 267, 272, 285
of Washington, 111, 118
in Washington’s vision, 93
Weber, Max, 230–31
Webster, Daniel, 276, 281, 401–2
Weehawken, N.J., 296
Wellington, Duke of, 397
Wells, H. G., 313
Westchester County, N.Y., 219, 228–30
West India Company, 270
West Indies, 22, 63, 157, 180, 385
Hamilton’s roots in, 266–67
slaves in, 116, 287
trade with, 258–59
Westmoreland Association, 67
West Point, N.Y., 171, 290
Whiskey Rebellion, 84, 202–3, 209, 258, 371
Whitefield, George, 22
White House:
building and furnishing of, 371, 382–83
capture and torching of, 394–95
relics of, 395
White Plains, N.Y., 138–39, 167
Whitney, Eli, 260
Wilkes, John, 74–75
William and Mary college, 66, 310
William the Conqueror, 42
Witherspoon, John, 322–23
Wolcott, Oliver, 215
women:
Dolley Madison’s inclusion of, 383
transforming role of, 49
voting rights for, 44
World War I, 398
World War II, 174
Wythe, George, 349
XYZ Affair, 362–63
Yale, 20–23, 29, 32, 38, 233, 263
Yates, Robert, 277
yellow fever, 369–70
Yorktown, siege of, 79, 83, 95, 168–70, 193, 240, 274, 328, 331, 333
Yorktown, Va., 166–67
Young, Arthur, 178, 212
Zenger, John Peter, trial of, 24–27, 29, 39–40, 41, 47
PHOTO INSERTS
THE FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN LIBERTY
Departure of the Puritans from Delft Harbor to Join the Mayflower
by Adam Van Breen (1620);
Photo by Eileen Tweedy / The Art Archive at Art Resource, NY
John Locke, the Founders’ favorite political theorist, by Godfrey Kneller (1697)
bpk, Berlin / Hermitage / Roman Beniaminson / Art Resource, NY
William Livingston by John Wollaston (1750s)
Courtesy of Fraunces Tavern Museum
Stratford Hall, south front
Photo by Christopher Cunningham, courtesy of Stratford Hall
Stratford Hall;
Stratford Hall, Robert E. Lee Memorial Association
the great hall of Stratford Hall, with portraits of the first Richard Lee (left), his son Richard the Scholar (right), and Hannah Ludwell Lee (center), who with her husband, Thomas, built Stratford
Stratford Hall, Robert E. Lee Memorial Association
Richard Henry Lee by Charles Willson Peale (1785)
Independence National Historic Park
Arthur Lee by Charles Willson Peale (1785)
Independence National Historic Park
Henry (Light-Horse Harry) Lee by Charles Willson Peale (1782)
The Granger Collection, New York
Signing the Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull
Signing the Declaration of Independence, July 4th, 1776 (oil on canvas), Trumbull, John (1756–1843) / Capitol Collection, Washington, USA / The Bridgeman Art Library
George Washington at Princeton by Charles Willson Peale (1779)
Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Gift of Maria McKean Allen and Phebe Warren Downes through the bequest of their mother, Elizabeth Wharton McKean
WASHINGTON’S COMMANDERS
General Henry Knox
by Gilbert Stuart (1805)
Photograph © 2013 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Brigadier General John Glover by John Trumbull (1794)
Courtesy of Yale Art Gallery
The John Cadwalader Family by Charles Willson Peale (1772)
The Granger Collection, New York
Baron Frederick William von Steuben by Charles Willson Peale (1780)
Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia.
Deposited by Mrs. Maria L. M. Peters
Marquis de Lafayette at age eighteen by Louis Leopold Boilly (1788)
© RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY
Washington Crossing the Delaware River by Emanuel Leutze (1851)
Washington Crossing the Delaware River, 25th December 1776, 1851 (oil on canvas) (copy of an original painted in 1848) / Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA / The Bridgeman Art Library
General Sir William Howe, after Richard Purcell (1777)
Brown University Library, Providence, Rhode Island, USA / The Bridgeman Art Library
Admiral Lord Howe by John Singleton Copley (1794)
Caird Collection, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
The Granger Collection, New York
George Washington Presiding at the Constitutional Convention in 1787
by Junius Brutus Stearns (1856) The Granger Collection, New York
The Inauguration of George Washington as First President of the United States
by Amos Doolittle (1790)
The Granger Collection, New York
The Washington Family by Edward Savage (1789–96)
The Granger Collection, New York
Mount Vernon
Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
View of Mount Vernon with the Washington Family on the Portico
by Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1796)
Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
Mount Vernon, West Front
Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
Mount Vernon, West Parlor
Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
Mount Vernon, “New” Dining Room
Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
Mount Vernon, “New” Dining Room;
Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
Palmy Days at Mount Vernon by Thomas Prichard Rossiter (1866), showing George Washington with, from right to left, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, and Martha Washington
Courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
John Jay
by Gilbert Stuart (the head, 1783) and John Trumbull (the rest, 1804–8)
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institute / Art Resource, NY
Sarah Jay and Her Youngest Children, William and Sarah Louisa
by James Sharples (1798)
John Jay Homestead Historic Site, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
John Jay H
omestead dining room;
Courtesy of New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
John Jay Homestead
Courtesy of New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Alexander Hamilton at age forty-one by James Sharples (1796);
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution / Art Resource, NY
Alexander Hamilton at age twenty-five by Charles Willson Peale (1780)
The Granger Collection, New York
Alexander Hamilton by Charles Shirreff (undated)
© R. W. Norton Art Foundation
The wine cooler George Washington gave Alexander Hamilton at a time of need in 1797;
National Park Service photographer Kevin Daley
Private Collection / Photo © Christie’s Images / The Bridgeman Art Library
Hamilton Grange entrance hall;
National Park Service photographer Kevin Daley
Hamilton Grange parlor
Hamilton Grange, restored
National Park Service photographer Kevin Daley
The moving of Hamilton Grange from Convent Avenue, far left, around the corner to St. Nicholas Park, far right, in 2008
National Park Service, Kevin Daley and Mindi Rambo
Hamilton Grange dining room
National Park Service photographer Kevin Daley
Thomas Jefferson, minister to France, by Mather Brown (1786);
Private Collection / Peter Newark Pictures / The Bridgeman Art Library
Thomas Jefferson, secretary of state, by Charles Willson Peale (1791)
Independence National Historic Park
Monticello west front
©Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello, photograph by Robert Lautman
Monticello dome room
© Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello, photograph by Leah H. Stearns
