What Made George Washington Tick

Time Period
1623 to 1763
1764 to 1824
Media Type
Video
Topics
American Revolution
Politics & Government
Presenter
Peter Henriques

George Washington very much wanted to be famous. Yet, he did not wish to be known, and there is a remoteness about him that will perhaps always remain. The fact that we cannot fully understand him, however, does not mean we cannot understand him better than we do. While recognizing the dangers involved, in this Banner Lecture on November 10, 2020, historian Peter Henriques utilizes the insights of psychoanalyst Carl Jung to better understand what made George Washington tick.

Dr. Peter R. Henriques is Professor of History, Emeritus, from George Mason University. He taught American and Virginia history with a special emphasis on the Virginia Founding Fathers, especially George Washington. He is the author of The Death of George Washington: He Died as He Lived; Realistic Visionary: A Portrait of George Washington; and First and Always: A New Portrait of George Washington.

The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

Want to listen to an audio-only version of this lecture? Listen now on Soundcloud.