George Washington’s Vision for American Identity Tested 250 Years Later
As political divisions deepen, George Washington’s early warnings about unity, parties, and national identity take on renewed relevance for today’s America.
Note: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
As the country observes the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Judy Woodruff is starting a new chapter of America at a Crossroads. She’ll explore what it means to be an American, how that idea has evolved since the nation’s founding and where we might be headed. She begins by looking at how closely our identity as Americans adheres to the template created by George Washington.
View the transcript of the story.
Warm-Up Questions
- Why did George Washington come to see himself as a second-class citizen as a colonist?
- Who are some of the people interviewed in this segment, and what are their backgrounds?
- What are one or two ways individuals define American identity in this segment?
- How has American identity "evolved and changed" over the centuries?
- What led to the formation of a strong national government and the establishment of the Constitution?
Essential Questions
The Declaration of Independence begins by identifying "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as unalienable rights. Why do you think Thomas Jefferson chose these principles? Do you think these unalienable rights are part of our law and governance today? Where are they most threatened?
Media literacy: Why do you think Judy Woodruff talked to ordinary citizens for this segment? How do you think they were chosen?
What Students Can Do
- One way to organize a debate is to break the class into small groups, with each group taking an argument inspired by the responses of ordinary citizens in the segment (or feel free to come up with your own ideas).
- You might also want to check out these resources on Ken Burns' Revolution series for more on some of the foundational principles of American Democracy.
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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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