The Hypocrisy of Washington essays

The Hypocrisy of Washington essays When looking at the men who founded this country it is easy to lift them onto a pedestal and perceive them as perfect. The time itself is looked at as purely American; a time when American ideals were lived for the first time, when the ideals were lived perfectly and perhaps lived for the last time. Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin Franklin. Alexander Hamilton. John Adams. George Washington. Those names seem to be synonymous with America, with liberty, and with everything American culture stands for. Thus, seeing America as perfect, as something like the light in a world full of darkness, it is no wonder that Americans see these men as perfection embodied in men. Looking more closely it is found that there were faults in these men. Franklin was an arrogant, self-righteous, and obnoxious man. Hamilton and Adams were the same pigheaded. Yet, despite the fact that faults can be seen in these men, the higher caste founder, George Washington, is still seen as faultless. He is see n as the person who, seemingly by his mere will alone, made this country; molded thirteen colonies into what is now the most powerful country in the world. It is odd to think that he could have been at fault in some arena of his life. It is strange and slightly daunting to actually search his life for that fault. It is relieving and refreshing to have found one that, however slight it may have been, still reverberates in the modern time and culture. In order to understand George Washington and his main fault his time period must be thoroughly examined. George Washington was born February 22, 1732. Little is actually known about his childhood aside from menial details and facts. His father, Augustine Washington, after enlarging his third generation Virginian land holdings died in 1743. Thus, from the age of eleven Washington was raised by his mother, Mary. He learned to read and write at a young age either by tutors or at the local school...