With the help of the French and a few foolish blunders on the part of the British, the Colonials achieved victory.
I cannot imagine the uncertainty of the newly liberated Colonials. What sort of country were they to have now? Up until this point, they had only ever known a monarchy, and there were many who believed the United States of America should continue as a monarchy. Colonel Lewis Nicola suggested to Washington that he should reign as the first king of America.
Washington’s written response to this idea left no room to entertain this idea further:
“Be assured, sir, no occurrence in the course of the war has given me more painful sensations than your information of there being such ideas existing in the army as you have expressed and that I must view with abhorrence and reprehend with severity. I am much at a loss to conceive what part of my conduct could have given encouragement to an address which to me seems big with the greatest mischiefs that can befall my country. If I am not deceived in the knowledge of myself, you could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more disagreeable…Let me conjure you then, if you have any regard for your country, concern for yourself or posterity, or respect for me, to banish these thoughts from your mind.”
Other than perhaps Benjamin Franklin, George Washington was the most well known and well loved civil servant of that time. He made it clear what he had fought for. America was to be a democracy.
History Schmistory 