Washington's Southern Tour, 1791

What it is

This is a book written by historian Archibald Henderson in 1923, describing President George Washington's tour of the Southern states in 1791. The author drew heavily on Washington's own diary entries from the trip.

Why it matters

Washington's southern tour was part of his effort as the first president to connect with citizens across the new nation. This book, though written more than a century later, helps historians piece together the route, the people Washington met, and how he presented the new presidency to ordinary Americans.

Look closer

• Why might a historian in the 1920s have been interested in writing about a presidential tour from the 1790s?
• What value does a diary have as a source, compared to a book written decades later about it?
• What questions would you want answered that this book might not cover?