In a message dated 8/7/2001 8:33:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: > >>It's true that Lord Cornwallis lost the military campaign but that wasn't > the end of the story. America was still a Crown Colony. America's > independence was negotiated after the colonists were able to satisfy the > British Government that they were able to sustain a free and democratic > governement after which a Royal Charter was drawn up granting the > independence. >> > Oh no! You didn't hear? The British Gov't forked over the keys in Paris in 1783. You know, not long after Cornwallis surrendered the British army to the Americans and the British Navy to the French. Personally, I would have taken the navy, but George wasn't too fond of boats after that frosty Delaware crossing. :)) Might take you up on that Mr. Bean though, at least we'd be laughing with him. And yes, I did bite, waited 24 hours but in the morning it was just too tempting a morsel to resist. And....as someone said, I was not offended. Have fun in California, if you're up in the northern section make sure you take a drive along the coast, its breathtaking! Liz The Yank :))