First in Business: Washington, Mount Vernon, and the New Nation
“George Washington: the Businessman” is not a moniker that most students associate with our nation’s first President, but it is one of the most illuminating biographical aspects to understanding his ideas, hopes, and challenges for the young nation’s political and economic future. As a surveyor, farmer, and investor, Washington was constantly looking for opportunities to harness and manage natural resources and agricultural production. Through hands-on experiences at recreated 18th-century sites at Mount Vernon and written primary sources like account books, farm reports, and maps, participants can envision the changing modes of operation at Mount Vernon as Washington would have; democracy at work. In bringing to life his inventions, experiments, and investments, participants will be given the tools to integrate STEM and historical thinking into the classroom.