Answer: While Rip was asleep, American revolution took place.
Explanation:
Rip Van Winkle, a story written by Washington Irving, was published in 1819.
Irving tells a story of a man, Rip Van Winkle, who has been sleeping for 20 years. He slept through the American revolution (1765-1783), and wakes up as a free man.
During Rip's sleep, the new king, George Washington, has replaced King George III. In this light, Rip wakes up free from King George's tyranny over his American subjects. Moreover, his wife has died, so Rip is now a widower and is free from his wife's complaints. He also becomes free from the tyranny of day-to-day responsibilities, as no one tells him what to do anymore.
However, the story makes us question the concept of freedom. Although he is not bothered by the expectations of the community anymore, Rip continues to live the same way he did before sleep. This indicates that he was free before, but did not realize it.
