Question

Which statement below best provides historical context for the excerpt above from Washington's Farewell Address?

a. Ratification of the U.S. Constitution had recently united the people across the nation.
b. The U.S. struggled to maintain peace with Great Britain.
c. The U.S. faced threats of invasion from European nations.
d. The U.S. was a new republic, and conflict in Europe politically divided the people.

Answer 1

Option (d), The best historical context for the Washington's Farewell Address excerpt is that the U.S. was a new republic politically divided by European conflicts, aligning with option d.

Step-by-step explanation:

The historical context for the excerpt from Washington's Farewell Address is best described by the following option: d. The U.S. was a new republic, and conflict in Europe politically divided the people. After the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the United States faced the challenge of implementing a new federal system while balancing the powers of the states.

Disagreements over the role of the central government, exemplified by concerns from figures such as Patrick Henry and the issues surrounding state versus federal authority, were at the forefront. As conflicts in Europe, particularly the Napoleonic Wars, impacted American politics and foreign policy, these divisions became more pronounced within the new republic.