What were George Washington's ideas and how did they change society?

George Washington's ideas greatly shaped and changed society. Many of his ideas, including his views about the role of the national government, federalism, and the role of the President, became hallmarks of the early American republic.
Washington believed that the new nation needed a strong, centralized government that had supremacy over the individual states (federalism). Washington knew firsthand that the Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation had been ineffectual at governing the new nation; the Continental Congress had been unable to provide money or supplies for the Continental Army during the Revolution, and the Articles of Confederation (America’s first governing document) could not get money from the individual states (as taxes) for revenue. Washington believed that America needed a strong, centralized government that could bring all of the individual states together for the good of all states. During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Washington subtly used his influence as President of the Convention to make sure the new Constitution adhered to his particular views and ideas.
During his time as President of the United States (1788-1796), Washington set many precedents for preceding heads of state. This is significant because the Constitution was extremely ambiguous about many of the roles and duties of the President. For example, Washington was the first president to serve two terms. At that point in time, the Constitution did not specify how many terms a president could serve. Washington, rather astutely, stepped down at the end of his second tenure in office. All presidents followed Washington’s example, until Franklin Roosevelt was reelected to an unprecedented third term in 1940. Washington also famously warned his successors to avoid interfering or being drawn into European affairs or alliances, as those relationships could potentially harm the young nation. This advice was generally accepted by all subsequent presidents until the 20th century.
Washington’s ideas shaped many of the ideas and policies of our young republic, and continue to do so today. His nickname of “Father of Our Country” helped to assure that his ideas lived on.