In Colonial Virginia, Washington was born in a wealthy well-connected protestant family that owned a large slave-run tobacco plantation. He was home schooled by his father and older brother. He was a strong brave dominating man, he quickly became a senior officer of the colonial forces, 1754–58, during the first stages of the French and Indian War. In1775, he became commander-in-chief of the Army which fought the British in the American Revolution. Because of his strategy, Revolutionary forces captured two major British armies at Saratoga in 1777 and Yorktown in 1781. Negotiating with Congress, governors, and French allies, he held together the fragile new nation among the threats of disintegration and invasion. Historians give the commander in chief high marks for his selection and supervision of his generals, his encouragement of morale, his coordination with the state governors and state militia units, his relations with Congress, and his attention to supplies, logistics, and training. In battle, however, Washington was repeatedly outmaneuvered by British generals with well- equipped larger armies. Washington is given full credit for the strategies that forced the British evacuation of Boston in 1776 and the surrender at Yorktown in 1781. After victory had been finalized in 1783, Washington resigned rather than seize power, and returned to his plantation at Mount Vernon, proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to republican government.
Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention that drafted the United States Constitution in 1787 because of his dissatisfaction with the weaknesses of Articles of Confederation that had time and again impeded the war effort. Washington became the first President of the United States in 1789. He attempted to bring rival factions together to unify the nation. He supported Alexander Hamilton's programs to pay off all state and national debt, implement an effective tax system, and create a national bank, despite opposition from Thomas Jefferson. Washington proclaimed the U.S. neutral in the wars raging in Europe after 1793. He avoided war with Britain and guaranteed a decade of peace and profitable trade by securing the Jay Treaty in 1795, despite intense opposition from the Jeffersonians. Although never officially joining the Federalist Party, he supported its programs. Washington's "Farewell Address" was an influential primer on republican virtue and a stern warning against partisanship, sectionalism, and involvement in foreign wars.
Washington had a vision of a great and powerful nation that would be built on republican lines using federal power. He sought to use the national government to improve the infrastructure, open the western lands, create a national university, promote commerce, found a capital city (later named Washington, D.C.), reduce regional tensions and promote a spirit of nationalism. "The name of American," he said, must override any local attachments. At his death, Washington was hailed as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen".As the leader of the first successful revolution against a colonial empire in world history, Washington became an international icon for liberation and nationalism.
1) Repérer et faire une liste des mots difficiles et importants du texte et avec l'aide du dictionnaire faire un lexique.
2) A l'aide d'un tableau questions composer 15 questions relatives aux points importants du texte.
3) Noter les 15 réponses sous forme de phrases.
4) Traduire les groupe nominaux du texte suivants (attention aux adjectifs)
a) a strong well-financed national government.
b) a wealthy well-connected protestant family.
c) a large slave-run tobacco plantation