Volume 4: Revolutionary Republican
In 1775, I arrive in Philadelphia at a pivotal moment in history. It has become clear that the problems between the colonies and the British are only going to get worse. Because of that, my elevated status becomes pivotal in the direction the Continental Congress decides to go. In The Capital (Lib City) I introduce the representatives to the city. It is a tough city that aggressively fights for the various political positions. Since we are a diverse capital, thanks to William Penn’s dream, we are experience the realities of intra-faction tensions based on religion and race. It is the perfect experiment on democracy! However, as I become the host, it is clear that many people do not trust me. They think that I have become too British and that I am not a real patriot. Because of this, I have to remind everyone of who I am and what I have done to create the American image. After that I help to craft a monumental proclamation of separation based on transcending values of equality and unity. It ends with a rallying cry to fight for our freedom to create such an Enlightened society.
While the Declaration of Independence publicly announced our separation from the British, we still needed to fight for it. Over the course of the 8-year war, two major themes occurred that are summarized in War Cry. The first is that George Washington successfully won the war on the ground through sheer determination rather than skill. I highlight his various losses in battle that could have derailed our Revolution, but also the key victories he scores in order to gain help from the French. The second theme is my success in establishing a military alliance with the French. I am celebrated for savvy diplomacy in using my celebrity and influence within France to alleviate French concerns over our ability to win and the potential threat we may serve to the oppressed French people. I score a huge victory when they join in our fight. However, it turned out they were right to be worried since my fame and celebrity inspired the French masses to revolt against their king who went bankrupt fighting for us… oops?
In 1783, after the Revolutionary War ended, I am excited to see our colonies (now states) come together to achieve that creed of equality. But it’s not going well since the states hate each other. It turns out everyone has a problem with Philadelphia so I respond, in Philly’s Answer, to address our issues with all of the others. It gets a little heated…
These tensions did not simmer down, however. There were real threats that our states would not be able to get over the differences that separate us. In 1787, Philadelphia hosts a convention to create a constitutional framework around a new government that would adequately protect and unify the states. But it isn’t going well. People do not want to sacrifice some of their rights for the betterment of society, including the abolition of slaves. The reality is we need to unify or else our grand experiment will fail so I call for all sides to Compromise.
After this convention creates a new government, I want to celebrate. After all, it seemed like this Constitutional Republic was a fitting way for me to encapsulate all that I had learned and all of the projects that I had created to improve society. But that lingering Guilt came out when I thought about King, a man who was once enslaved to me. His words crushed my ego as he laid out a blistering assault on all of our arguments for maintaining slavery. The truth is we all committed a sin by allowing slavery to thrive. No matter the fact that I became an abolitionist later in life, I owned slaves in my lifetime and, therefore, am guilty. And I realize that my guilt is necessary for others to remember as we start this new country. The truth is we have created a government for the people, by the people, and that means that the government is susceptible to the prejudice and greed that actively corrupts human nature. It would be irresponsible to ignore this truth about our founding. Otherwise, we are no better than those oppressive religious authorities who I combatted early in my life for their hypocrisy and corruption.
I would never be able to overcome the flaws that hurt my family and African-Americans. As I felt my life fading away, I tried to finish my Autobiography to provide a full portrayal of my life so that future generations could learn everything about me. But it would end up remaining incomplete as I died in 1790. There are a lot of people who might find me to be scum for not doing more in my life. Whether this is your belief or not, the reality is that I did enough in my life to create the very character of a nation. If that character is flawed and incomplete then maybe that is the true essence of our country: ambitious and driven but also privileged and hypocritical. The fact is my life, my name, my spirit has made me a Legend to be learned about. Learning about my life is the first step to truly understanding the depths and limitations of our American society.