WI: Title of United States leader is "First Citizen"?

Zioneer

Banned
So what if, instead of "President", the title of the highest office in the executive branch (and therefore the leader of the nation) is simply called the "First Citizen"? Perhaps Washington refuses any title above "Citizen", and for convenience's sake, he's known as the First?

Would this change American culture at all? How would people perceive the office with a different name?
 
Except the US Constitution was written slightly before the French Revolution; you might well have the TTL French thinking it sounds too American!

I understand that. What I meant was the term First Citizen sounds like a very French position.
 

MAlexMatt

Banned
President was a title with deep involvement in Anglo-American council politics. First Citizen, on the other hand, has never been used before.
 
Interestingly, while looking at that wikipage, I found out John Adams proposed the title of something along the lines of "His Elected Majesty"; A hint of royalty to it.

What are the chances we could see the President be known as this?
 

Zioneer

Banned
President was a title with deep involvement in Anglo-American council politics. First Citizen, on the other hand, has never been used before.

Huh, that Anglo part makes me think of another possibility. What if the United States draws more upon Anglo-Saxon culture for some of it's institutions? I'm not suggesting that the ATL-America call senators "thanes" or whatever, but could the United States style itself Saxon as opposed to the "Norman" culture of Great Britain?
 

MAlexMatt

Banned
Huh, that Anglo part makes me think of another possibility. What if the United States draws more upon Anglo-Saxon culture for some of it's institutions? I'm not suggesting that the ATL-America call senators "thanes" or whatever, but could the United States style itself Saxon as opposed to the "Norman" culture of Great Britain?

Something mildly similar happened IOTL. The American Revolution drew a lot on the English Civil War and the Commonwealth period, as well as the Whiggish mythology of the post-Glorious Revolution era. Part of this was a belief that English resistance against the Crown was the defense of traditional Anglo-Saxon liberty against Norman arbitrary authority.

Everything from the 'Saxon Myth' about the foundation of the American colonies, to references to Hengist and Horsa's grant of autonomy to Anglo-Saxon freemen showed up at various times in the Revolutionary period.
 
I really, really don't think they'd choose to essentially call him "Prince."

Except the US Constitution was written slightly before the French Revolution; you might well have the TTL French thinking it sounds too American!

Prince is right out, but what about Principal? George Washington, Principal of the United States. It's non-royal but connotes a certain degree of primary leadership.
 
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