George Washington
and Civic Virtue
Civic Virtue
George Washington in many ways was, and
remains, the model of what it means to be an
American citizen. He embodied the civic virtues
that Madison described as indispensable for a
self-governing republic. These virtues can be
divided into four categories:
•Civic Knowledge
•Self-restraint
•Self-assertion
•Self-reliance
Civic Knowledge
In his Farewell Address, delivered at the
end of his second term of office,
President Washington said, “Promote
then as an object of primary
importance, institutions for the general
diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as
the structure of a government gives
force to public opinion, it is essential
that public opinion should be
enlightened.” Washington knew that
republican government required the
participation of enlightened citizens to
survive.
Self-restraint
Washington and the other
founders knew that for citizens
to live in a free society with
limited government, each
citizen must be able to control
or restrain himself; otherwise,
we would need a police
state—that is, a large,
unlimited government—to
maintain safety and order
Self-assertion
Self-assertion means
that citizens must be
jealous of their rights,
and have the courage
to stand up in public
and defend their
rights. Sometimes a
government may
usurp the very rights
that it was created to
protect.
Self-reliance
In order to be truly
free, citizens must be
able to provide the
basic necessities of life
for themselves and
their families.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why did Washington and the other founders
believe that citizens must possess civic
virtue?
2. Why do citizens need civic knowledge?
3. What results when citizens do not have selfrestraint or self-control?
Discussion Questions:
4. How did Washington show his self-restraint
during the Revolutionary War
5. When must citizens be self-assertive?
6. What is the relationship between selfreliance and freedom?
Civic Virtue
•There’s More to it!!!
It’s Also……
• How a citizen
behaves and is
involved in society.
Integrity
Having ethical principles
Having sound, moral character
•FAIRNESS
Open-mindedness
Selflessness
Having a mind or spirit that allows you
to face difficulty/challenges
Being persistent in spite
of difficulties or
obstacles.
To summarize, it’s about….
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1. Integrity
2. Honesty
3. Fairness
4. Acceptance
5. Courage
6. Empathy
7. Responsibility
8. Open-mindedness
9. Selflessness
10. Generosity
11. Respect
12. Perseverance
ANY
QUESTIONS???