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Primary sourceLetter28 April 1788

Letter from George Washington to Lafayette, 28 April 1788

George Washington · 28 April 1788

A letter from George Washington to Lafayette discussing the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the need for a Bill of Rights.

Washington wrote this letter to Lafayette, revealing their close friendship and shared concern over the Constitution's ratification.

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Handwritten manuscript page numbered 80, dated April 1788 at top, in cursive ink on ruled paper. Text discusses constitutional ratification, amendments, and a Bill of Rights and trial by jury. Bound volume edge visible on left.
George Washington to Lafayette, 28 April 1788. George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.

About this source

What it is

Written on 28 April 1788, this letter from George Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette discusses the prospects for ratifying the new United States Constitution, including the demand for a Bill of Rights and trial by jury. It is held among the George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress.

Why it matters

The letter shows the close political friendship between Washington and Lafayette, who exchanged views on the American constitutional debate even after Lafayette had returned to France. It reveals how Washington thought through the compromises needed to hold the new nation together, and how he valued Lafayette's opinion on these matters.

Look closer

  • Why might Washington have wanted to explain these constitutional debates to a friend in France?
  • What does the letter suggest about disagreements among Americans over the new Constitution?
  • What does this exchange tell us about how news and ideas traveled between America and Europe at the time?

This letter is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Marquis de Lafayette on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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