Welcome to BrainStuff, a production of I-Heart Radio.

Hey Brain Stuff, Lauren Vogelbaum here with a classic episode from our archives.

When the founders of the United States created with a classic episode from our archives.

When the founders of the United States created our government, one thing they did was put in

place measures to prevent a monarchy from developing.

But some contemporary people did suggest that George Washington, our first president, take on the role of King instead.

Here's how it all went down.

Hey Brainsduff, Lauren Vogelbaum here.

There's a popular yarn among American history enthusiasts that George Washington, in the waning

months of the Revolutionary War, was offered the crown of the fledgling nation by a group of American military

officers fed up with an ineffective Congress. Historians even have Washington's

strongly worded rejection letter to prove it. But a closer reading of original historical documents tells a different

story. In this version, the widespread frustration of Army officers gets mixed up with the

pro-monarchy daydreams of one foolhardy colonel.

Washington still comes out a hero, but he was never really close to being a king.

Let's set the scene.

The British suffered a decisive defeat at Yorktown to American and French forces in 1781,

resulting in the capture of 7,000 British troops and their leader, General Charles Cornwallis.

The end of the war was finally near, but the beleaguered American

Army under the command of Washington was still considered on duty until the Treaty of

Paris was signed in 1783. Back in those pre-constitution days, the Articles of Confederation handed most power to the

states, not the federal government.

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