Washingtonians: A Separate Entity

I just finished rereading the chapter in The United States of Appalachia called “The First Washington, D.C.” The chapter provides a very important insight to understanding American history, not to mention Appalachian history as well.
Basically the colonists were able to find a loophole that would allow them to lease land from the Cherokee, not breaking any of the rules given by the British treaty. They leased the land for ten years. Of course, soon after is when the rebellion grew even worse. The colonists just started purchasing more and more forbidden land in America. The Cherokees soon learned how powerless the British were in controlling the Americans.

A newly elected Carter was able to use the “community’s long-perfected stall tactics” by declaring that the Washingtonians were still loyal and used a delay as an excuse for their actions. “Amazingly, the British authorities and the Cherokee accepted the appeal.” They then were able to use that grace period to build two forts before they were attacked by the Cherokee. The Washingtonians held off the attack though. Afterwards they ravaged through the Cherokee villages. The battles between the Americans and Cherokee would continue for another generation. These battles would be a precursor to the American Revolution.

After reading this chapter over, I was able to cultivate a few thoughts. My first thought is that it is absurd to think that during the Eighteenth Century, one nation could successfully control a new nation across the ocean. The people colonizing the new territory were already looking for new lives. Of course they will eventually be tempted to want pure unadulterated freedom in their new land, it being even easier when the Crown is thousands of miles away! These people knew what they wanted and were not afraid to take it. They were “outlaws” rebellious to the law, and took action.

My second thought is about the Cherokee. One part that stunned me was how peacefully the Cherokee and Washingtonians were able to “commingle”. The Cherokee even offered atonement for those “who ambushed innocent Cherokee”. However that peaceful coexistence did not sustain long due to the Washingtonians’ refusal to compromise and further expansion into land illegally. What could have been a beautiful cohabitation ended up being a war between two nations, leading to much bloodshed and ultimately the future American Revolution.

This chapter is very informative and I have left many details out to cut this post short. It is a great chapter though, teaching me much that I didn’t know about our country’s history.