Is this George Washington? Really? (Painted by Walter Robertson, 1790s.

Back in April, I wrote two short pieces on history topics of interest to me — impeachment trials and George Washington.  So, naturally enough, they both launched on the web this weekend, within 24 hours of each other.  So I might as well promote them together, right?  You can check out:

My take that historians need to back off from analyzing Washington’s “110 Rules of Civility,” which were initially composed by French Jesuits in the late sixteenth century.  After copying them into his schoolbook as an apparent penmanship exercise, Washington NEVER mentioned them again.  There’s no evidence that he ever thought of them again.  On History News Network —
My explanation of what presidential impeachment trial have been, and are likely to be:  that is, not really a trial, but more of political kabuki theater.  They tried to put President Andrew Johnson to a real trial, and it didn’t work very well.  They didn’t much try when it came to Bill Clinton, which is likely to be the pattern in the future.  On Law 360 —

BONUS ROUND: check out the life portraits of George Washington that Mount Vernon has posted on its website, especially the last six or so, which were all painted in his final years.  Is that the same guy in every picture?

Gotta get back to work. . . .