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October 21, 2025 32 mins

George Washington’s defining leadership quality is that he fulfilled his promise to relinquish power after the conclusion of both the Revolutionary War and his second presidential term. Jeffrey Rosen speaks with Ken Burns and Washington biographer Ed Larson about the importance of keeping your word and letting go.

Now that you’ve learned that the pursuit of happiness means being good, not feeling good, how has that affected your daily life? Send a voice message with your thoughts on this question and we may even include excerpts in our final episode.

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Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness is made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation. © 2025 National Constitution Center. All Rights Reserved.
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