skybird137 wrote: by the way, I was pulling legs.
I figured as much, hence my tongue in cheek first sentence to my answer.
True, there was more going for the Colonies than just our own merits, and we had a similar break in the War of 1812 thanks to Napoleon. But though you Brits might well have crushed the initial rebellion and held us down more a century or more like you did with, say, India or China, in the end your own consciences about what you were doing to fellow Europeans (or their descendents) would have made this even less popular than the Viet Nam was here. Public sentiment for the colonies was already running pretty high before the French chimed in, and any repression committed here would likely have only worsened the home situation over time... just like foreign wars have been doing ever since. We might not have prevailed militarily, but eventually we'd have been more trouble to you than we were worth.
Besides, the lessons you learned about how you treated us stood you in good stead with dealing with Canada, Australia, and so on. Without these lessons, you might have lost these and more besides too by this time.
Now then, since we have gone way off topic to argue politics once again (and Drawscore didn't even have to help this time!), let's give Chloe back her thread, yes?
Dare to be different... and make a difference.
To boldly go where no one in their right mind has gone before...