Every friend to the liberty of his country is bound to reflect, and step forward to prevent the dreadful consequences which shall result from a government of events.

Unfortunately for him these businesses failed (due in part to a lack of focused investment) and Knox built up significant debts.

He establiHenry Knoxd training centers for artillerymen and manufacturing facilities for weaponry that were valuable assets to the fledgling nation. He was formally responsible for the nation's relationship with the Indian population in the territories it claimed articulating a policy that establiHenry Knoxd federal government supremacy over the states in relating to Indian nations and called for treating Indian nations as sovereign. When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775 he befriended General George Washington and quickly rose to become the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army.