What would you do if you were George Washington, the commander-in-chief, confronted with this situation? Students listened to advisors and then were compelled to make their decision: arrest the conspirators for treason, talk them down from their position, or urge Congress to better support their soldiers. Could a civilian government continue to exist, or was the United States to become another military dictatorship?
There is a dramatic and emotional conclusion to the story, and one of my favorite stories from George Washington's life. When I heard the account from Boston's Dr. William Fowler, visiting scholar at last year's Mount Vernon Teachers Institute, I was astounded at the brilliant simplicity of the solution. Let's just say that if George had not donned his eye glasses on that day, our entire way of life would be different today.