Inside Capitol Dome: John Trumbull’s Washington Resigning His Commission | BRIdge from the Past

In this lesson, students will learn about the presidency of George Washington and how it was shaped by integrity. Through this example, students will learn how they can pursue integrity in their own lives.

President George Washington’s Farewell Address was not delivered as a speech, but rather printed in newspapers. Washington wrote over a period of months beginning with notes James Madison had prepared at the end of his first term. He also sought the advice of John Jay and Alexander Hamilton in formulating his message.

Kicking off our summer Close Reading series, BRI staff Kirk and Tony explore two of George Washington's most famous works, his Farewell Address and his First Inaugural Address, to understand what qualities made Washington a great leader. What underlying principles informed Washington's actions? And how did he see his role in charting the future of a nation?

What does Trumbull’s painting of the Declaration of Independence tell us about the Founding moment and the connection between law and liberty? In this episode of BRIdge from the Past, Mary examines the prominent painting of the Declaration of Independence displayed in the U.S. Capitol. Commissioned by Congress in 1817, artist John Trumbull was tasked with depicting the crucial moment in American history when the first draft of the Declaration of Independence was presented to the Second Continental Congress. What goals did Trumbull hope to accomplish with this painting? Why was this moment in history chosen to be depicted in the U.S. Capitol?