Final answer:
George Washington warned against forming political parties to promote national unity and avoid partisan divide, fearing that such factions would jeopardize the common good and lead to disunion.
Step-by-step explanation:
President George Washington warned America against establishing political parties to promote unity and avoid division within the new nation. He believed that factionalism and the influence of parties would lead to disunion and distract from the common good. Washington's concerns were rooted in the fear that parties would not always focus on the nation's best interests but rather on partisan objectives.
This warning was given in the context of observing the earliest signs of party formation during his presidency, specifically the rise of the Federalists, who supported a strong central government, and the Republicans, who favored a limited central government. Washington's farewell address highlighted the mischiefs of political parties and their potential to create conflict, indicating his preference for maintaining national unity over the divisiveness of party politics.