King George III Character Analysis in 1776

King George III is the leader of England during the Revolutionary War. Although he was a hugely important figure in the British war effort, he’s a relatively minor character in 1776, appearing only at the beginning and end of the book. While George is often remembered as a “mad king,” due to the dementia he suffered toward the end of his life, he was a popular, well-respected ruler during the 1770s, when the book is set. It was George III who ordered that additional troops be sent to secure the American colonies in 1775, thereby putting an end to any possibility of a peaceful solution to the conflict with the colonies.

King George III Quotes in 1776

The 1776 quotes below are all either spoken by King George III or refer to King George III. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Simon & Schuster edition of 1776 published in 2006.

[King George III] had denounced the leaders of the uprising for having American independence as their true objective, something those leaders themselves had not yet openly declared.

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Page Number and Citation: 12

Explanation and Analysis:

But as thrilling as the news of Princeton was for the country coming so quickly after the triumph at Trenton, it was Trenton that meant the most, Trenton and the night crossing of the Delaware that were rightly seen as a great turning point. With the victory at Trenton came the realization that Americans had bested the enemy, bested the fearsome Hessians, the King's detested hirelings, outsmarted them and outfought them, and so might well again.

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Page Number and Citation: 290

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King George III Character Timeline in 1776

The timeline below shows where the character King George III appears in 1776. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

It’s October 26, 1775, and King George III of England rides to the Houses of Parliament to address the war in America, a... (full context)

George III ascended to the throne of England at the age of twenty-two. He’s a man of... (full context)

In the Houses of Parliament, George III discusses the war with the American colonies, and points out that the colonists outnumber the... (full context)

...war, since it takes about that long to travel across the Atlantic Ocean. In July, George III holds an emergency meeting of Parliament and sends 2,000 troops to Boston. In the earliest... (full context)

George III remains popular in England despite the war. And yet many of the English newspapers characterize... (full context)

In Parliament, George III delivers an address that will go down as one of the most important in English... (full context)

After George III ’s departure, the House of Lords (which consists of the aristocratic MPs) debates his speech.... (full context)

...Commons (a lower House than the House of Lords, consisting of publicly-elected MPs, some denounce George III ’s speech, but some come to the king’s defense. One MP, John Dyke Acland, who’ll... (full context)

The MPs continue to debate George III ’s resolution well after midnight. Two powerful speakers, Charles James Fox and Edmund Burke, oppose... (full context)

...the Roman Empire. He’s confident that Britain’s “conquest” of America will be successful. In November, George III appoints to the war effort Lord George Germain, an experienced soldier and politician, who’s previously... (full context)

...Prospect Hill. The British army has taken Bunker Hill and Charlestown, not far away, and George III has sent new troops to Boston. Both sides recognize that they needed to get “the... (full context)

...a woman named Elizabeth Loring, the wife of a Boston Loyalist (i.e., a supporter of King George III ). William Howe, along with his brother Richard Howe (George III’s Lord Admiral of the... (full context)

...soldiers. However, he worries about the population in Long Island, which is overwhelmingly loyal to George III . There are also British warships in the Upper Bay near New York City, a... (full context)

...read it, since he finds the “etc., etc.” in the address insulting. Paterson explains that George III is offering pardons to Washington and his peers. Washington replies, “Those who have committed no... (full context)

...remaining 10,000 troops. These troops are experienced, accustomed to adverse conditions, and extremely loyal to George III . They despise their American foes and are eager for battle. (full context)

...people of New Jersey. The treaty requires them to take an oath of allegiance to George III and in return receive a pardon for any actions against the crown. Many people in... (full context)

As 1777 begins, George III once again rides to Parliament to speak about the war. Some members of Parliament continue... (full context)