In 1796, as his second term in office drew to a close, President George Washington informed the American people of his retirement in a public letter that would come to be known as his “Farewell Address.”

Washington’s Farewell Address spoke to contemporary concerns that the Union was weak and vulnerable to attacks from internal and external enemies. But even after the uncertainty of the early national period had passed, his message of unity remained powerful.  The Farewell Address endures as a critical founding document for issues of Union, partisanship, and isolationism.

The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon

A resource for scholars, students, and all those interested in George Washington, colonial America, and the Revolutionary and founding eras.

Learn More
Login
Activities Calendar Shop Restaurant Give Membership
Estate Hours

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

iconDirections & Parking
buy tickets online & save