what did george washington mean when he said, "today we are one nation and thirteen tomorrow. who will treat

Question

us on such terms?'

Answer 1

After the Declaration of Independence (1776) the thirteen original colonies banded together into a Confederation, and adopted the Aritcles of Confederation in 1777, which gave the United States a measure of unity but a rather loose one because the central authority had very limited powers. It was only with the adoption of the new Constitution in 1788 that he United States became a federation, where the central government possesses more power. Even at that early stage, however, there were sharp divisions between those who argued strongly for states's rights (generally the Democratic Republicans, led by Jefferson) and the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton. George Wshington did not wish to be a partisan but it is clear that, in some matters, his sympathy lay strongly with the Federalists, because only a strong federal Government would command the respect of the established European powers. In the words you have quoted, Washington is urging a Constitution which would be proof against the union breaking up into thirteen separate states, which could not command external respect. During those years many Europeans did not think that the new nation would survive that long as a united nation. Washington took personal charge of suppressing the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania, where people refused to pay the excise tax, because he wished to move quickly to put down the "lawless" assertion of regional independence. The Federalist Papers, authored largely by Hamilton and Madison, made the case for the new federal Government. Wahington is saying, in effect, that Americans have to solidify their union beyond the possibility of dissolution if the world is to treat with them as equals. (That possibility became certainty when the southern states seceded before the Civil War.)

Answer 2

i agree with the above answer but......
geogre could be referrring to adding more countrys to their colony
and it could also point to immigration like 13 different nationalties not that there is that many different ones now but this was said quite a while ago
and ''whoi will treat us on such terms could mean which group will be leader and willl all the groups be treated equally

Answer 3

well "thirteen" could be referring to the thirteen original colonies which comprised the union at its conception.