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What Made George Washington a Good Military Leader?
Leadership in Victory and Defeat
Guiding Questions
- What qualities made George Washington an effective general?
- How were the responsibilities of the Commander-in-Chief affected by conditions
during the Revolutionary War?
- How did Washington's responses to these challenges demonstrate his ability
to handle a wide range of problems?
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- List qualities they believe made George Washington an effective military
leader.
- Discuss some difficulties Washington faced as Commander-in-Chief.
- Discuss how Washington responded to the difficulties he faced as the leader
of the Continental Army.
- Give examples of Washington's leadership during one or more Revolutionary
War battles.
If review is necessary, refer to the information on the advantages and disadvantages
the British and Patriots had in the Revolutionary War in Lesson
Two, above. Remind students to keep these advantages and disadvantages in
mind as they read about how Washington dealt with the problems he encountered.
1. Share with the class and briefly discuss this analysis of Washington as
a military leader from the Life
Before the Presidency on the EDSITEment resource The
American President:
George Washington was not a great general but a brilliant revolutionary.
Although he lost most of his battles with the British, year after year he held
his ragtag, hungry army together. This was his most significant accomplishment
as commander of the American forces. One French officer wrote: "I cannot insist
too strongly how I was surprised by the American Army. It is truly incredible
that troops almost naked, poorly paid, and composed of old men and children
and Negroes should behave so well on the march and under fire." Knowing that
one great victory by his army would undermine support in England for their endless
foreign war, Washington patiently waited year after year for the right circumstances.
The British relentlessly dared Continental forces to fight a line-to-line battle
in the open. But Washington stayed with his own hit-and-run tactics, forcing
the frustrated British to play the game by his rules. He kept their main army
bottled up in New York much of the time, wary of fighting him.
Discuss briefly the distinction the author is making between a great general and
a brilliant revolutionary. What do students think the author intends? Is the difference
that a revolutionary is as interested in winning hearts and minds as he is in
winning battles? Is a revolutionary more willing to use unorthodox methods?
It will be the students' task to agree or disagree with the above statement on the
basis of their study of four battles of the Revolutionary War. Divide the class
into four groups and assign each group one of the following battles. Students
can use the documents listed and/or find additional sources on their own. Documents
may suggest answers to any or all of the following questions:
- What motivated Washington to initiate these battles? What indications are
there of the degree to which Washington managed his troops? Did he tend to-in
today's jargon-micro-manage, or did he take a hands-off approach?
- What indications are there of Washington's respect and care for his men?
Respect for the enemy?
- With regard to punishments for desertion, was Washington too strict? Properly
strict? Fair? Too lenient?
- What kind of negotiator was Washington?
- In those battles in which the Patriots were defeated, what factors contributed
to the loss? How much of the fault for the loss lies with Washington?
- In those battles in which the Patriots were victorious, what factors contributed
to the win? How much of the credit for the win should lie with Washington?
After research is complete, groups report to the class as if they were a
committee of the Continental Congress reporting on the battle to the rest of Congress.
Give a brief summary of the battle. Evaluate General Washington's leadership.
Cite specific examples.
A complete list of the following documents, suitable for distribution to students,
is available in the handout "Annotated Excerpts from Lesson Three Documents"
on pages 18-34 of the PDF file
(see Preparing
to Teach This Curriculum Unit for download instructions). Full-text versions
are available by clicking on the links below.
Group 1: The Battle of Trenton (and the Battle of Princeton)
Compare Washington's description of the battle to the information in the secondary
sources.
- From the U.S. Army Center of Military
History, a link from the EDSITEment-reviewed website Internet
Public Library
- From the EDSITEment resource American
Memory, in Washington's words
- A
Spy Is Sent to Trenton George Washington to William Alexander, Lord
Stirling, et al, December 14, 1776
- "Something
Must Be Attempted to Revive Our Expiring Credit" George Washington
to Joseph Spencer, December 22, 1776
- Trenton:
The Plan of Attack George Washington to Israel Putnam, December 25,
1776
- Washington
Describes the Battle of Trenton George Washington to Alexander McDougall,
December 28, 1776
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, January 5, 1777 Report on the
Battle of Trenton (NOTE: This is one of the longer excerpts.)
Group 2: The Battle of Brandywine
Compare Washington's description of the battle to the information in the secondary
sources.
- From the EDSITEment-reviewed website American
Memory, in Washington's words
- George
Washington, September 3, 1777, General Orders
- George
Washington, September 4, 1777, General Orders (a long excerpt)
- George
Washington, September 6, 1777, General Orders
- George
Washington, September 7, 1777, General Orders
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, September 11, 1777 Report on the
Battle of Brandywine
- Map: Battle of
Brandywine on the U.S. Army Center
of Military History, a link from the EDSITEment resource Internet
Public Library
- The Battle
of Brandywine (and many associated internal links) on Virtual
Marching Tour of the American Revolution, a link from Internet
Public Library
Group 3: The Battle of Germantown
The group studying the Battle of Germantown should understand why this battle
is believed by some to be a turning point in the war. Compare Washington's description
of the battle (October 5th) to the information in the secondary sources. Compare
Lee's description of the battle to the information in the secondary sources.
Group 4: The Battle of Yorktown
The group studying the Battle of Yorktown should make sure to understand the circumstances
that trapped the British and the degree of cooperation between the Patriots and
the French. Compare Washington's description of the battle to the information
in the secondary sources.
Guided Discussion Questions
- What were the difficulties of fighting a war in America for the British?
- What difficulties did the Continental Army face?
- What happened in each battle?
- In what way did General Washington display effective leadership in each
battle?
Assessment
The students have heard the reports from the committees. Does each student now
agree or disagree with the statement, "George Washington was not a great general
but a brilliant revolutionary"? In writing, each student should state an opinion
supported by specific evidence. Share student opinions and evidence. Then discuss.
What leadership qualities of Washington can be discerned in these battles?
Selected EDSITEment Websites
- American Memory
[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amhome.html]
- A
Spy is Sent to Trenton: George Washington to William Alexander, Lord Stirling,
et al, December 14, 1776
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw060282))]
- George Washington
Papers
[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome.html]
- George
Washington to Charles Cornwallis, October 18, 1781
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw230258))]
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, December 14, 1777
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw100167))]
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, December 23, 1777
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw100200))]
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, November 14, 1779
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw170141))]
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, November 5, 1779
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw170107))]
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, October 16, 1781
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw230248))]
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, October 19, 1781
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw230265))]
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, September 11, 1777: Report on the Battle
of Brandywine
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw090211))]
- George
Washington to Continental Congress, September 8, 1780
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw200022))]
- George
Washington, October 3, 1777, General Orders
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw090316))]
- George
Washington, October 5, 1777, General Orders
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw090319))]
- George
Washington, September 3, 1777, General Orders
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw090175))]
- George
Washington, September 4, 1777, General Orders
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw090184))]
- George
Washington, September 6, 1777, General Orders
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw090194))]
- George
Washington, September 7, 1777, General Orders
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw090197))]
- Report
to Congress on the Battle of Trenton: George Washington to Continental Congress,
January 5, 1777
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw060360))]
- Series 3 Letterbooks.
Varick Transcripts: Continental Army Papers. 1775-1783
[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwseries3.html]
- Trenton:
The Plan of Attack
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw060334))]
- Washington
Describes the Battle of Trenton to Alexander McDougall, December 28, 1776
[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field
(DOCID+@lit(gw060341))]
- American Memory:
Sources
[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/sources.html]
- PBS: Liberty! The
American Revolution
[http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/index.html]
- Before
the Battle of Trenton
[http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle/episode3.html]
- Miraculous
Convergence
- [http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_miraculous.html]
- Yorktown
is Won
[http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_yorktown1781.html]
- PBS: Rediscovering George
Washington
[http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/]
- Gilder
Lehman Document Collection: George Washington, Revolutionary War Years
[http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/collection/revolutionary_war.html
[http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/multimedia/heston/lewis_nicola.html]
- Letter
to the General Officers of the Army, October 26, 1777
[http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/collection/war_1777oct26.html]
- Letter
to the President of the Convention of New Hampshire, January 23, 1777
[http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/collection/war_1777jan23.html]
- Letter
to the State of New Hampshire, December 29, 1777
[http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/collection/war_1777dec29.html]
- Speech
to Officers at Newburgh (multimedia background in audio/text of speech)
[http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/multimedia/arnn/newburgh.html]
- Electronic Text Center
[http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/]
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