1784

On the night of November 15, 2009 the President of the United States, Barack Obama, addressed a town hall meeting in Shanghai China. The President said in part: However, America's ties to this city -- and to this country -- stretch back further, to the earliest days of America's independence. In 1784, our founding father, George Washington, commissioned the Empress of China, a ship that set sail for these shores so that it could pursue trade with the Qing Dynasty. Washington wanted to see the ship carry the flag around the globe, and to forge new ties with nations like China. This is a common American impulse -- the desire to reach for new horizons, and to forge new partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Although the President was correct on the year the President responsible for the mission was not George Washington, he was a private citizen. This video addresses this latest error in the executive branchs understanding of the US Presidencys start and evolution into the office the Honorable Barack Obama now holds. President Obama is not alone as in my lifetime 11 US Presidents have made similar errors. It has been my personal mission, since the 1990s, to challenge confederation historical inaccuracies in a professional and constructive manner. Barrack Obama is a great man, my President, and I have the utmost respect for his high office. On the other hand, the mistake was made on a national stage and in this particular case a thoughtful response was warranted. Below is <b>...</b>