George Washington Quotes
Between you and me, I think our affairs are in a very bad situation.; not so much from the apprehension of General Howe’s army, as from the defection of New York, Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Of the 13 colonies, the 3 Middle Atlantic States, were the least enthusiastic about an armed revolution against England. Jersey—Now New Jersey—was the most recalcitrant then with Benjamin Franklin’s son as Governor. See {634108} for an explanation of why that was.
George Washington, 1732-1799, 1st President of the United States (VA), Letter to his brother, December 18, 1776
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Amazingly, a critical mass of Middle Atlantic citizens, joined in a vision of independence and persuaded their colonies to make common cause with the other colonies to gain independence from England and an end to monarchy. In a way, they had the most to lose and the least to gain from the revolution. Led by Livingston, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin and others, these states had the greatest intellectual commitment to the Revolution as they would not financially benefit and would likely lose economically.
The crackdown on Boston which was intended to set an example and intimidate all of the other colonies backfired, and the British were told about it by their own officials in America. But they were so rigid and ideological about monarchy, that the stimulated rebellion rather than suppress them.
He was acting as French Foreign Secretary at the time.
The American plan was to capture Quebec and add that province to the 13 colonies. See {636940} . However, the American officers botched the invasion and did not attack as soon as they arrived when the British had almost no troops to defend Quebec.
Most Canadians supported the English despite the letter.
Americans were by no means united in wanting to take up arms against Britain. Relatively few of the loyalist quotations have come down to us, but here is one. It also illustrates why some Americans wanted complete independence: So that they could escape their debts to English merchants. Most however had more noble and unselfish motives. As a matter of fact, the American Revolution is unusual in the sense that there were so many men of substance who sacrificed much of their material wealth for the American ideal. There were also the rogues and opportunists as Galloway describes.
during and after the American Revolution
While the official battles of the American Revolution did not begin until 1776, parts of the American colonies were in a de facto state of rebellion and the British could not enforce their laws. See {636925} for another of the King’s statements.
Fox was one of the opposition leaders who were opposed to the heavy handed policies that the British King and Government had used.
At that time, Russia and Germany were autocracy, and the ruler could simply take the English money and force the soldiers to fight in a war they had not stake in nor understood.
It was repealed the next year, but much damage had been done to the relationship between the American Colonists and the mother country. It set the tone for American transition to a desire for independence. . Fox, a conservative on most issues was an absolute radical on the issue of America. To aggravate the hawks in parliament, he used to dress in the colors of George Washington’s uniform to show his support once the war broke out.
Earlier, his father had also castigated the ministers over their inept hard-line handling of the American Revolution. See {641505} .
Ramsay was discussing the events leading up to the American Revolution. He and many English historians believe that had the British repealed a few if the hated taxes and given America some representation in Parliament, the conflict could easily have been avoided. Ramsay was the first major historian of the American Revolution.
This is a very interesting quotation. A contemporary historian tells us how rapidly the American colonists organized when Parliament passed the Tea Tax. Even with the Internet and social media it would be hard to organize representation from 13 states that fast today. The word of mouth and mail of the day was surprising to most of us. The passion on the issue and the public interest must have been extraordinary. Ramsay was the first major historian of the American Revolution.
Howe had written Franklin attempting to stave off a American break with England. Franklin, with the approval of the Continental Congress, replied.
Mackenzie was a British officer with whom Washington had become friends in the French & Indian War and in this letter, Washington was trying to explain the seriousness of the Boston rebellion for Britain.
This letter drafted by Adams was sent by the Congress complaining about the Closing of Boston Harbor. The letter was right about the consequences except for the last; the rift between American and the mother country was not only healed but there is no European nation that has been closer to the United States over the years.
- Born: February 22, 1732
- Died: December 14, 1799
- Nationality: American
- Profession: President
George Washington was the first President of the United States (1789-97), the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He presided over the convention that drafted the current United States Constitution and during his lifetime was called the "father of his country".
