what is so very typically "American" about the character Rip Van Winkle?

Critics have argued over Irving's point since the story first appeared, and in his own lifetime Irving faced charges that he was unpatriotic because he lived abroad for so long. Is he implying in "Rip Van Winkle" that the difference between King George and General Washington is simply a matter of the same face in different clothing? Is he using Rip's lack of interest in independence to further develop his laziness and indifference? Is he calling for more involvement in politics, or less? Like all good literature, this story raises more questions than it answers, but several of the questions clearly have to do with the significance of the American Revolution.