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Perhaps this would be better for the History forum, in which case, it can be moved there, but I do think this question is also appropriate here since, it still has a Relationship thing.
I was reading up on George Washington, and his wife and found something interesting:
After the war, Martha was against Washington's agreeing to be President of the newly formed United States of America,[citation needed] and she did not attend his inauguration on April 30, 1789.
During the ARW She was with him during several of his campaigns, then afterwards they retired to his estate, but wanting to find some kind of unifying factor they wanted Washington to be the first President. Though given she didn't even attend his inauguration, I guess it's safe to say she was NOT happy about it lol. Just wondering from a woman's perspective why you think she may have been so POd about it? One would think she would be happy having the first President of the U.S for a husband.
Hmmmmm....maybe after the hell of war she wanted to enjoy her live and their life together? What was really so great about the continued uncertainty of the first presidency anyway except likely massive upheavals for the both of them? Of course back then maybe expectations for a wife were different but yeah, I'd probably just have gone to Europe for an extended vacation if I were her and gotten some peace!
Moderator cut: The thread was moved to the History forum with a comment about current events intact.
Last edited by mensaguy; 05-26-2019 at 04:36 AM..
Reason: Reference to current administration removed.
Perhaps this would be better for the History forum, in which case, it can be moved there, but I do think this question is also appropriate here since, it still has a Relationship thing.
I was reading up on George Washington, and his wife and found something interesting:
During the ARW She was with him during several of his campaigns, then afterwards they retired to his estate, but wanting to find some kind of unifying factor they wanted Washington to be the first President. Though given she didn't even attend his inauguration, I guess it's safe to say she was NOT happy about it lol. Just wondering from a woman's perspective why you think she may have been so POd about it? One would think she would be happy having the first President of the U.S for a husband.
He had been gone for 8 years fighting the war. She was not happy about his election and knew that she would be required to fulfill duties that were not part of her nature.
This is the official Mount Vernon description of the time:
Her life was not ALL about George. When he left she also was helping her daughter-in-law care for their 4 children after Martha's son died.
I have only found references that state she was "unable" to attend but don't say why. She did perform the tasks required of a first lady out of duty, strictly according to the definition of the word.
She came from a very wealthy family and George was quite the estate farmer.
After the worrisome war and revolution, she likely wanted him to come home and resume their place in society and to return to their domestic lifestyle.
One would think she would be happy having the first President of the U.S for a husband.
Why, though? At the time no one knew what was demanded of the President, and its something that would take her husband away from her and make him a public figure rather than a private citizen. Michelle Obama said that a similar thing.
Any number of reasons. Maybe she was worried for his safety. Maybe she felt they'd just survived the hell of war, and was hoping to just enjoy the retired life together. Maybe she liked him better before he got involved in politics - maybe power changed his personality. Maybe she had listened to him making plans for after the war - finally building the country's finest apple orchard, that kind of thing - and felt he was giving up his dreams. Maybe she didn't care for political society - didn't want the responsibilities of entertaining as First Lady.
*Or the reasons given above by people who've actually read up on the Washingtons. I have not.
Perhaps it's a simple as that it was not seen as the major ceremony we consider it today, and maybe not something the wives and other women attended. Our present custom of inviting every dignitary in Washington and their spouses is... if not a recent or 20th century development, then perhaps something that took a turn or two to establish in the beginning.
Look at Jefferson's inaug... he walked to and from the boarding house for the ceremony and went to bed without dinner because he was late returning.
Remember how uncertain the future of the nation was. Would our attempts at independence fail or succeed? Would the British try again to regain control? Would a loyalist try to assassinate the first president? And what would the demands of the presidency be exactly? Setting up a new nation and government couldn't have been simple. Being the first president of a new nation would have been incredibly demanding and potentially dangerous - can't blame any woman for not wanting that for their husband, especially after she'd just supported him through an incredibly demanding and dangerous war and probably wanted all that to just be over now that the war was over.
Perhaps this would be better for the History forum, in which case, it can be moved there, but I do think this question is also appropriate here since, it still has a Relationship thing.
I was reading up on George Washington, and his wife and found something interesting:
During the ARW She was with him during several of his campaigns, then afterwards they retired to his estate, but wanting to find some kind of unifying factor they wanted Washington to be the first President. Though given she didn't even attend his inauguration, I guess it's safe to say she was NOT happy about it lol. Just wondering from a woman's perspective why you think she may have been so POd about it? One would think she would be happy having the first President of the U.S for a husband.
He had given enough. Let someone else carry the burden. They were old. She wanted him home. She loved him and it was her time.
At that time, it wasn’t uncommon for leaders to be assassinated. Louis XVI was a great example and was guillotined during Washington’s presidency. Marie Antoinette was also guillotined, so it wasn’t exactly safe for the wife either. Why would anyone want their husband to sign up for a job where they might get assassinated and have their wife assassinated as well?
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