American singer Elvis Presley born

Chilean writer Isabel Allende begins “House of the Spirits”

Washington delivers first State of the Union Address in New York City

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  Lesson Plan / History & Social Studies

  Lesson 3: George Washington: The Precedent President

  George Washington became President—reluctantly—at a critical time in the history of the United States. The Confederation had threatened to unravel; the weak central government (which included a weak executive with the sole responsibility of presiding over meetings of Congress and no special power to initiate laws beyond that of any member of Congress, enforce laws, or check acts of Congress) created by the Articles of Confederation had failed.

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