Read the passage from The American Plague.

A very embarrassed George Washington finally had to confess to Lee, "I brought no public papers of any sort (not even the rules which have been established in these cases,) along with me."

What does Washington define in this passage?

the effect of his embarrassment

the cause of his embarrassment

the type of relationship he has with Lee

the type of relationship he has with the public

The cause of his embarrassment! Washington is confessing and explaining to Lee why he's embarrassed.

Answer: In the passage provided, Washington is defining the cause of his embarrassment.

Explanation: In the passage from The American Plague, George Washington is described as feeling embarrassed, that is to say as feeling ashamed. Moreover, Washington tells Lee that the reason why he actually feels ashamed and uncomfortable is because he did not take any public papers with him. Therefore, the passage provided defines the cause of George Washington's embarrassment.