Fun Fact for the Day 3.8.12

Sticking with 18th Century United States, the continental congress of 1775 tried one last desperate attempt at avoiding war by sending what became known as the Olive Branch Petition. The petition, sent to King George III, was a humble plea to the king which tried to explain that the colonists were loyal to him, but felt unjustly governed by the rules of the English parliament. The petition asked the King to draw up a final plan that could avoid war that would give colonists free trade and taxes equivalent to those levied against people in England or no taxes with strict trade regulations. The King however refused to accept the letter and issued a Proclamation of Rebellion that called for Great Britain 'to use their utmost endeavours to withstand and suppress such rebellion'. We all know how that ended for him.