How Did George Washington Have Political Courage?

Perhaps the most recognizable of all of the founding fathers of what we now call the United States of America, George Washington was nothing short of a portrait of moral and political courage, as well as a courageous leader in the battles of the Revolutionary War.

It is easy to see how George Washington had political courage. He led an entire newly born nation into battle after declaring the country officially independent from British rule. He and other moral and political leaders drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence, one of the most courageous acts in the history of the United States. In fact, if it weren’t for the courage required to draft such a document, the United States of America that exists today would likely have never existed at all. 

George Washington's Post-War Political Courage

After the war, and while the United States was still celebrating its victory and freedom from British rule, George Washington was forced to forge another path of political courage, this time against the wishes of his own people.

As a matter of historical fact, within a mere ten years of leading the people of the United States to freedom, George Washington was widely despised by the American people, because of a treaty he had drafted in secret after the war as a means of keeping the state of peace between American settlers and British soldiers who had migrated to the west after the war had ended. These British soldiers had begun recruiting the aid of Native Americans who had inhabited the area, and had begun attacking any settlers who had moved into their range of grasp. 

Treaty with the British

This activity spurred Washington to draft a treaty with the British, because he knew that engaging in another war would prove to be detrimental to this new country and would ultimately result in the demise of all of the newly incorporated freedoms that were granted with the winning of the previous war. This treaty, referred to as the Jay Treaty, was a thorn in many American sides, as they were fueled to fight by their recent victory.

The treaty was drafted as a peacekeeping method between Washington and the British, which was seen as a slap in the face when it was leaked to the American public. Washington declared, however, that the treaty was a necessary evil in order to protect the prosperity of the American people.

After Washington’s death and the wave of fury over British occupation had subsided and the possibilities that came with the new frontier were realized, people recognized the act as being one of courage, for having the strength to do what he knew was right rather than what would win favor with the people.  This, therefore, was yet another example of how George Washington had political courage.