We are beginning a unit on “Influential Presidents & Speeches” to understand how they have shaped American politics and democracy. George Washington's Farewell Address was co-written with his close friend Alexander Hamilton. In this address he announced he would not run for a third term, and he also gave three warnings against what he saw to be threats against the preservation of the Union. His first warning concerned the dangers of regional sectionalism, the practice of people putting regional politics above the good of the nation as a whole. Second, he warned against political parties; he believed them to be divisive and possible tools used by tyrants. His final warning was that America should not become too involved with or too close to any one foreign nation. He believed doing so could lead to that foreign nation having sway over domestic American policy. Washington chose to leave office after two terms. He told those upset with his decision that he didn’t fight a revolution to become a king. His choice to retire after his second term set a precedent for future presidents to follow.