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George Washington’s Political Genius with David O. Stewart | BRI Scholar Talks

George Washington spent a lifetime mastering politics before he was unanimously elected the nation’s first president. In this Scholar Talk video, Tony Williams and distinguished bestselling historian David O. Stewart discuss Stewart's new book, "George Washington: The Political Rise of America's Founding Father," and how George Washington demonstrated political genius in helping create the American republic. How did Washington grow from a brash and impatient young man to exercise the civic virtues of restraint and moderation? What are some of the lessons we can still learn from America's first Commander in Chief?

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Reading Excerpts from George Washington’s Diary (1753-1754) | A Primary Source Close Read w/ BRI

24 Min

BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with historian and author Stephen F. Knott to talk about the fascinating excerpts from George Washington’s Diaries in our new digital history textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Knott and Williams examine the text of Washington’s Diaries from 1753-1754 in which the young Virginian engaged in a key colonial diplomatic mission to the French Empire. They also explore the context of the larger imperial struggle involving the French, British, colonists, and Native Americans in North America during the mid-eighteenth century.