In 1786, while the young American nation struggled under the Articles of Confederation, its most famous citizen was officially in retirement. Yet George Washington’s ‘retirement’ was anything but quiet, as he balanced his role as private citizen with deep concerns about the future of the nation he had helped create.
Life at Mount Vernon
After leading the Continental Army to victory, Washington had returned to his beloved Mount Vernon. In 1786, he devoted considerable time to agricultural innovations, including new plowing methods and crop rotations. His daily routine typically began before sunrise, with hours spent reviewing farm reports and corresponding with associates across the country. One of Washington’s major focuses in 1786 was the Potomac Company, his ambitious attempt to make the Potomac River navigable for commerce. He saw this project as crucial for binding the western territories to the eastern states through trade. Regular meetings and correspondence about this project consumed much of his time, reflecting his ongoing interest in national commercial development.
Views on the Annapolis Convention: Growing National Concerns
While Washington didn’t attend the Annapolis Convention personally, he was deeply invested in its purposes. Through regular correspondence with James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, he followed the proceedings closely. Washington strongly supported the convention’s goals of establishing uniform commercial regulations among the states, seeing trade barriers between states as a serious threat to national unity. When the convention failed to attract enough delegates, Washington’s private letters reveal his frustration with the states’ lack of cooperation. He wrote to several associates expressing concern about the dismal attendance, seeing it as yet another sign of the confederation’s weakness.
The year 1786 marked a turning point in Washington’s thinking about national governance. Three major issues particularly troubled him:
- News of Shays’ Rebellion in Massachusetts, which he saw as a dangerous sign of civil unrest
- The inability of states to coordinate on basic commercial matters
- The general weakness of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation
By the end of 1786, Washington’s private correspondence shows his growing conviction that more dramatic changes were needed. When the Annapolis Convention issued its call for a broader convention in Philadelphia, Washington initially remained cautious about attending. However, his experiences and observations throughout 1786 – from the failure at Annapolis to the chaos of Shays’ Rebellion – would ultimately convince him to accept leadership of the Constitutional Convention the following year.
Legacy of 1786
This year proved crucial in Washington’s evolution from retired general to future president. While he maintained his public silence on political matters, his private actions and correspondence reveal a man deeply engaged with the issues facing the young nation. His support for the Annapolis Convention’s goals, though from a distance, helped lay the groundwork for the more sweeping changes that would come with the Constitution.
The year 1786 shows us a fascinating portrait of Washington: the private citizen still deeply invested in public good, the retired commander watching his nation struggle, and the future president gradually realizing that his country might need his services once again. His experiences during this pivotal year would significantly influence his later decisions and actions as the nation’s first president.
From his vantage point at Mount Vernon, Washington observed and documented a nation in crisis, even as he worked to improve his own corner of it. His activities in 1786 demonstrate how even in “retirement,” he remained one of the most important figures in shaping America’s future.