American Cincinnatus: George Washington Lays Down His Sword [Short Film]

Can you imagine Julius Caesar willingly turning back power? History is littered with examples of military men who seized power and were reluctant to give it up. Yet two remarkable individuals, separated by 2,000 years, both made the decision to give up near-absolute authority in favor of life as a citizen. George Washington, America’s first president, and Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, an early Roman statesman, lived dramatically different lives, but both understood the nature and importance of civic virtue. Washington’s decision to not seek a third term as president set a lasting precedent for the peaceful transition of power that endures today. In this short film, three experts, Dr. Matthew Spalding of Hillsdale College, Judge Andrew Oldham of the Fifth Circuit, and Dr. Jeffry Morrison of Christopher Newport University, tell the story of George Washington—The American Cincinnatus. As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker. * * * * Chapters: 00:00 Opening 01:44 Act 1: America's First President 04:02 Act 2: A Roman Farmer 06:09 Act 3: The American Cincinnatus 09:31 Act 4: Republican Virtue 11:28 Credits * * * * Learn more about Dr. Jeffry Morrison: https://cnu.edu/people/jeffrymorrison/ https://cnu.edu/cas/ https://www.jamesmadison.gov Learn more about Judge Andrew Oldham: https://fedsoc.org/contributors/andre... Learn more about Dr. Matthew Spalding: https://www.hillsdale.edu/staff/matth... * * * * Credits: Directed by: Matt Wood & Daniel T. Richards Written by: Daniel T. Richards, Ann Hartley. & Matt Wood Executive Producers: Matt Wood & Daniel T. Richards Produced by: Matt Wood, Samantha Schroeder, Alex Yershov, & Ann Hartley Line Producer: Alex Yershov Filmed & Edited by: Matt Wood Creative Director: Matt Wood Art Director: Samantha Schroeder Illustration & Animation by: Handshake Studios Camera Operators: Jacob Schwartz & Dominic Sterett Research by: Ann Hartley Narration by: Niamh Marnell Production Assistant: Chris Mannix Associate Producers: Niamh Marnell & Aaron Bacus Statue Footage: Horatio Greenough's "George Washington" at The Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History * * * * Related Links & Differing views: Washington's Farewell Address [U.S. Senate] https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/... FDR’s third-term election and the 22nd amendment [National Constitution Center] https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/f... George Washington [Bill of Rights Institute] https://billofrightsinstitute.org/fou... Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus [Britannica] https://www.britannica.com/biography/... Cincinnatus [Mount Vernon] https://www.mountvernon.org/library/d... About the Name [The Society of the Cincinnati] https://www.societyofthecincinnati.or... Cincinnatus [Ancient History] https://www.ancient.eu/Cincinnatus/ Full poem: “Occasioned by General Washington’s Arrival in Philadelphia, On His Way to His Residence in Virginia” by Philip Freneau https://poets.org/poem/occasioned-gen... #FedSocFilms