Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin knew about George III’s pious nature, especially given that it was in such stark contrast to the bent of his predecessors.12 Including some religion in an argument that is meant to convince a devout Christian king that he’s wrong in the eyes of a god is rhetorically intelligent. Indeed, appealing to a higher power may have been necessary to change the devout king’s opinion. After all, if you believe a god put you on earth to rule, to whom would you answer but a god? One constitutional scholar, Jeffry H. Morrison, has aptly labeled these added references
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