Skip to Main Content

BRI’s Tony Williams Explores the Legacy of George Washington 

by Bill of Rights Institute on

Where can we see George Washington’s fingerprints on our federal government today?

What would Washington think of our modern American government?

These were just some of the questions Bill of Rights Institute Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams tackled during a recent webinar hosted by the nonprofit Constituting America. 

The webinar, George Washington's Vision For National Government, was attended by teachers, students, and interested citizens from across the country, and included a lively discussion about Washington’s philosophy and legacy. 

Williams, who taught middle school and high school for 15 years and is the author of six books on early American history, reflected on Washington’s unique position when he inherited the presidency. 

While Washington was initially reluctant to serve as president, he “understood his own indispensability” to our new nation, Williams said. 

Washington needed to balance his own strong belief in self-governance with the new powers the U.S. Constitution had granted the federal government. 

“Washington was a strict constitutionalist in many ways and wanted to follow the right precedents,” Williams said. 

While Washington believed in a stronger national government than the United States had experienced to date, he still thought most governance would be local, Williams said. 

Viewers asked Williams what Washington would recognize in our federal government today—and what might surprise him. 

Williams said Washington would recognize an active executive branch and a strong military protecting American interests. 

On the other hand, Washington would likely be surprised by America’s national debt and the sheer size of the federal government today. 

“He thought most governance would be local,” Williams said.  

Interested in learning more about the life and legacy of George Washington? Check out this Scholar Talks video, where Williams interviews David O. Stewart, author of George Washington: The Political Rise of America's Founding Father.