Leading Collaborators.

What was required of leadership to guide the colonies through a revolution, war, and working constitution of laws was less about personal power and more about working together. The United States of America was a collaboration in itself, and can't be credited to one person, like a monarch, but must be credited to all of those in the front lines of the political revolution. Many colonists can be thanked for what is now the world's superpower nation, but there were certain men in particular who should share most of the glory: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and most importantly George Washington. Each attributed their own contribution to the America of today, and it was both unity and leadership that helped insure that America was forever a democracy.

Though there was collaboration in establishing their government (the goal was to have a free, self sufficient country), the founding fathers weren't united on how that goal would be accomplished; they all clearly had a different opinion of what leadership meant. Adams felt completely comfortable referring to the president (Washington at the time) as "his highness" or "his majesty", which clearly pointed to him belonging to the federalists' party. Jefferson, on the other hand, leaned toward the republican/democratic party, and thought this was ridiculous and reminiscent of monarchy, even mocking him in interviews, ruining their fifteen year friendship. The fight got brutal, and federalists spread word that republicans were "radicals who would murder their opponents, burn churches, and destroy the country" This caused acrimony between the political parties, casing republicans to retaliate by saying that federalists "promote[d] aristocratic, anti-republican values" [1]. Washington, a true leader liked and respected by [almost] everyone, though a federalist himself, unified the parties enough to focus on the main goal - shaping the American government. He lead them from fighting to collaborating.

When Adams became president in 1796, this helped put a block on the collaboration process. Until the twelfth amendment was passed, the presidential candidate with the second most electoral votes was named vice president, enabling the executive branch to be comprised of two political parties. This made decision-making (a majority of the decisions about foreign policy) more difficult, each one wanting to back their own party with their decision. At the time, it was ultimately left up to the federalists, backed by Washington and the president himself. Whatever political disagreements the parties had, it didn't stop the Adams administration from making political progress. In the years between '96 and 1800, Adams built up the U.S. Navy, fought the Quasi War with France, signed Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, and ended war with France through diplomacy [2]. When Jefferson was elected president four years later, (Washington had died the previous year, taking the strongest ally to the federalist party from the race) he used his experience in the previous multi-partied presidency to make this system more effective. There was less conflict between both parties, and thus unity was restored.

It's obvious that the personalities and even political views of these men didn't match, but they collaborated to make something that was never made before: a true democratic republic. Leadership was needed, but it wasn't leadership meaning one person who takes control. Leadership among the founding fathers meant not necessarily being the smartest, being the best writer, or even being the best speaker, but being able to encourage his peers to move in the direction of collaboration. Leadership meant moving them away from the disagreements that a group of differing ideas can cause and towards making something together that would last on this earth longer than any of it's founders - a free government. Both Adams and Jefferson showed some of these qualities, but George Washington showed all of these qualities all the time. Because of his indispensable leadership and true collaboration of all, The United States of America fulfilled the goals of the founders. America is, and always will be, a free, self sufficient country.