George Washington and the Establishment of Civil-military Operations in Relation to the Declaration of Independence

This thesis examines General George Washington and the establishment of American civil-military relations with respect to the principles of the Declaration of Independence to emphasize Washington’s struggle to balance military necessities with the supremacy of law and government by consent. When Washington assumed command of Continental Forces, he faced a unique situation where the army he led curtailed the individual liberties of his soldiers in order to preserve the liberties of the American people. The professional army Washington requested also appears inconsistent with the revolutionary beliefs of colonial Americans who viewed a standing army as a threat to liberty. Despite the appearance of inconsistencies with revolutionary ideals, Washington upheld the principles of the Declaration and maintained military subordination to civil authorities throughout the war. During the first year of the war, Washington established precedents in civil-military relations that maintained military subordination to the Continental Congress and upheld the principles of supremacy of law and government by consent of the people.