Is it true that George Washington could have crowned himself king?

Question

I remember someone saying that America could have been a monarchy if George Washington decided to do that. Insteas he took the high ground. Is this true?

Answer 1

Yes,it's true. General Washington recognized that the USA had just left a monarchy and fought a war to sever ties,so why create the same form of government,opting to become a president,but not as a lifetime appointment.

Answer 2

Well, he could have. You see, the people needed a leader, and whether he be president, or king. However, the thing was was that the U.S. citizens were kind of tired of the monarchy idea, and plus, he would make a name for himself if he was the first "President" instead of just another king of the many. He would have 1.) made the people feel happy and important ("you have the right to speak up, peeps!"), which would gain support and 2.) would have founded a 'new' idea, in which he could continue, say, holding on to old ones like slavery, and still not sound like some stupid power-hungry guy. Also, it would have gotten more people involved in the government, that way, and hey, people are more likely going to follow laws and give taxes if they and their 'fellow Americans' make, right? Oh, and did you know, he IS connected to the modern day British royal family through Katherine Worsely, wife of Edward, Duke of Kent and mother of three, but just a LOT of times removed. Interesting, huh?!

Answer 3

yess.

Answer 4

George Washington was smart enough to realize that if he did crown himself king, which he really had no intention of doing to begin with, there would be another war and he would probably be assassinated or at least overthrown. The people in America at the time were mostly angry because of taxation without representation, but that doesn't mean they believed that a monarch should rule over America.

Washington did not even really want to be a short term president and wanted to retire to his Mount Vernon home for some peace and quiet, but finally gave in because everyone around him was begging him to take the position of the first president of the United States,

Answer 5

No.

Answer 6

they asked him to be king. as the story goes, the continental congress was shouting and cheering for calls for him to be king. it's all they knew at the time. a monarch was the most obvious option. the war was not started to vex a monarch, but due to lack of representation in the english parliament.

Answer 7

He probably could have at least been president for life.

Answer 8

I think he felt King was too pompus a title, and that he would rather just preside over the congress and the new republic.

Answer 9

he could have, but it was better to create a goverment

Answer 10

What like Napoleon did?

Only the french make silk purses from sows ears !

:)

Answer 11

According to Wikipedia, the fount of all contemporary knowledge:

"Washington attended carefully to the pomp and ceremony of office, making sure that titles and trappings were suitably republican and never emulated European courts.  To that end, he preferred the title "Mr. President" to the more majestic names suggested . . . Washington reluctantly served a second term as president.  He refused to run for a third."

Answer 12

I do remember reading somewhere that he was offered the title of King, but decided a president would be better for the nation.

Answer 13

he may have, but he probabaly would have been overthrown because, idk if you know this, but the our colonies fought against the crown of england, so im pretty sure the US citezens wouldnt have wanted to have another king