As everyone knew, Washington had had no son to tempt him into creating an American throne to hand down. Washington himself stressed this fact when drafting his first inaugural address: "Divine Providence hath not seen fit that my blood should be transmitted or my name perpetuated by the endearing, though sometimes seducing channel of immediate offspring. I have no child for whom I could wish to make a provision—no family to build in greatness upon my Country's ruins."

While Washington ultimately decided to drop this passage—the point went without saying—similar anti-dynastic sentiments pervaded the law and politics of the founding. Two separate constitutional clauses condemned "titles of nobility" and another required states to maintain "republican"—as distinct from aristocratic or monarchial—forms of government.