Note: Brunsman will be presenting via Zoom as part of the Smithsonian Associates program.

George Washington not only played a vital role in framing the Constitution as the president of the Philadelphia Convention, he also put the document into practice as America’s first leader. Denver Brunsman, a professor of history at George Washington University, explores the origins of executive power through the writings and actions of the United States’ first president. Brunsman delves into how the father of the country managed to balance establishing a strong executive office while still assiduously obeying the legal limits of power.