Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin read the traditional George Washington Farewell Address to the U.S. Senate on Monday with local history teachers taking note.  The senate reading of the address dates back to 1862.  Washington cautioned against three dangers that could threaten to destroy the United States; regionalism, partisanship, and foreign entanglements. 
Barry Mellen, the U.S. History teacher at Sturgeon Bay High School, says the United States is always reevaluating alliances between countries.  He says the history lesson he shared on Monday with his students bore that out. 

Mellen adds that partisanship will probably always be an issue. 
 He notes that regional loyalties have been around since eastern seaboard states had differing interests than the other states during the infancy of our country.