Inside the Vault: What Makes a Great Leader?: John Adams Discusses the “Ten Talents” of George Washington
by Gilder Lehrman Institute Staff
What qualities are most important in a leader? In an 1807 letter to Benjamin Rush, John Adams described George Washington’s “ten talents,” listing such attributes as “An handsome Face,” “A tall Stature,” and “An Elegant form.” Excluding any mention of Washington’s intellect or statesmanship, the letter hints at the shadow that Washington had cast over Adams and his career, and how it shaped his understanding of how to be successful in politics.
On February 6, 2025, our curators discussed John Adams’s perception of George Washington’s leadership with Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library.
Download the slides from the program here.
FEATURED DOCUMENT
USE THE TIMESTAMPS BELOW TO JUMP TO THE TOPIC YOU WANT TO VIEW
0:15–3:05: Today’s Document
03:06–06:01: John Adams and Benjamin Rush
06:02–11:17: Washington’s Ten Talents: His Physical Attributes
11:18–13:46: Washington’s Ten Talents: His Wealth
13:47–16:20: Washington’s Ten Talents: His Virginian Heritage
16:21–17:37: Washington’s Ten Talents: His Views of the British
17:38–23:05: Washington’s Ten Talents: His Political Characteristics
23:06–24:24: John Adams on Intellectual Talents
24:25–25:55: Adams’s Philosophy
25:56–32:10: Adams, Hamilton, and Washington
32:11–38:09: The Political Landscape
38:10–39:28: Rush’s Response to the Letter
39:29–57:01: Q&A
RELATED RESOURCES
- Essay: “George Washington and the Constitution” by Theodore J. Crackel, History Now 13 (Fall 2007)
- Poem: “His Excellency General Washington” by Phillis Wheatley, 1775
- Spotlight on a Primary Source: “George Washington’s reluctance to become president, 1789”
- Spotlight on a Primary Source: “John Adams describes George Washington’s ten talents, 1807”
- Video: “His Excellency George Washington" by Joseph J. Ellis
- Video: “John Adams Describes the ‘Ten Talents’ of George Washington: Document in a Minute” by Gilder Lehrman Staff
- Video: “John Adams: Party of One” by James Grant