Grievances of the United States Declaration of Independence facts for kids

United States Declaration of Independence (1776)

The 27 grievances are a list of complaints found in the United States Declaration of Independence. This important document was written by a group called the Second Continental Congress's Committee of Five. They wanted to explain why the American Colonies were breaking away from King George III and Great Britain. These grievances listed all the ways the King had treated the Colonies unfairly. The Second Continental Congress officially agreed to the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Historians have noticed that many of these complaints were similar to ideas from thinkers like John Locke. Also, older documents like the Magna Carta and The Bill of Rights 1689 had already set a rule: the King should not interfere with the basic rights of English people. The American colonists felt that King George III was going against the very idea of good government by stopping laws that were helpful for everyone.

Why the Colonists Were Upset: The 27 Grievances
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Why the Colonists Were Upset: The 27 Grievances

The Declaration of Independence lists 27 specific complaints against King George III. These show why the colonists felt they had to declare their freedom.

Grievance 1: Refusing Important Laws

"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."

Colonial assemblies, which were like local governments, passed many laws. These included rules about money and asking for representatives in the British Parliament. But the King often said no to these laws. For example, after protests against the Stamp Act, the King refused to approve a law that would have pardoned people involved in the protests. The colonists believed these laws were good and needed for their communities.

The idea of self-governance was very important to the Founding Fathers. Every time King George III refused to approve their laws, it made them more worried about their freedom.

Grievance 2: Blocking Urgent Laws

"He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them."

This complaint was about the King's governors in the colonies. These governors would not approve laws that colonists thought were very important and urgent. They would often delay these laws until the King could approve them, but then the King would just ignore them. This meant important issues were left unsolved.

Grievance 3: Denying Representation

"He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only."

The King refused to pass laws for certain areas unless the people there gave up their right to have a say in their government. The colonists believed that having representatives in their government was a precious right. They felt that only a ruler who wanted total power would try to take this right away.

Grievance 4: Inconvenient Meetings

"He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, and also uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures."

In 1774, the British Parliament passed the Massachusetts Government Act. This law changed how Massachusetts was governed. It allowed the governor to make the local assembly meet in inconvenient places, far from their records. This was done to make it harder for them to do their work and to force them to agree with the King's plans.

Grievance 5: Dissolving Assemblies

"He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people."

The King often shut down colonial assemblies, which were like their local parliaments. He did this when these assemblies bravely stood up against his actions that they felt violated their rights. For example, when the Massachusetts Assembly encouraged other colonies to work together against unfair taxes, the King ordered it to be dissolved. Other assemblies were also shut down for disagreeing with the King's right to tax them or to send colonists to Britain for trial.

Grievance 6: Delaying New Elections

"He has refused for a long time, after such Dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining, in the meantime, exposed to all the Dangers of Invasion from without, and convulsions within."

After dissolving assemblies, the King would often wait a very long time before allowing new elections. This left the colonies without their own elected governments. Without their leaders, the colonists felt unprotected from outside dangers and internal problems. For instance, the Massachusetts Assembly was dissolved in 1768 and wasn't allowed to meet again for nearly a year.

Grievance 7: Stopping Immigration

"He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands."

The King tried to stop people from moving to the American colonies. He made it harder for immigrants, especially Germans, to become citizens. He also made it difficult to get new land. The British government was worried about the colonies growing too powerful and about the spread of ideas about self-government among new settlers.

Grievance 8: Blocking Justice

"He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers."

In 1774, Parliament took away the right of people in Massachusetts to elect their own judges. Instead, the King appointed all judges. These judges depended on the King for their pay and followed his orders. Their salaries came from taxes paid by the colonists. This made it hard for colonists to get fair trials, as judges were loyal to the King, not the people.

Grievance 9: Controlling Judges' Pay

"He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries."

Judges and governors appointed by the King did not get their money from the colonists. They were paid by the King. This made colonists feel that these officials would side with the British Parliament instead of the colonies. This issue led to the formation of groups like the Committees of correspondence in 1774, which helped colonies communicate their concerns.

Grievance 10: Sending Many Officers

"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance."

After the Stamp Act, many new officials were appointed in every town to collect taxes. More officers were added in 1766 and 1767 to collect other duties. When new admiralty courts were set up in 1768, even more officers were added. These officers received high salaries, which came from the colonists' money. The colonists felt these "swarms of officers" were there to bother them and take their money.

Grievance 11: Keeping Armies in Peacetime

"He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures."

After the Seven Years' War ended in 1763, Britain decided to keep a permanent army in the American colonies. While this was partly to protect against French return and Native American conflicts, colonists increasingly saw the army as a way for Parliament to enforce unfair tax laws like the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts. The final straw was the Quartering Act of 1774, which allowed soldiers to take over private homes without the owners' permission. When General Thomas Gage occupied Boston in 1774, he used this act to house his troops. This military presence without colonial consent was a major complaint.

Grievance 12: Military Above Civilian Law

"He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power."

In 1774, Thomas Gage, the British military commander, also became the royal governor of Massachusetts. This meant the military leader was also in charge of the civilian government. This was done without the colonists' approval and was meant to force them to pay customs and stop protests. The colonists felt that the military was now in charge, not their elected leaders, and could be used unfairly against them.

Grievance 13: Foreign Rule

"He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:"

This complaint refers to the British Parliament. The colonists felt Parliament was acting like a foreign power over them, without their consent. For example, a new Board of Trade was set up to enforce tax laws without colonial input. Also, admiralty courts were changed to remove the right to trial by jury. The colonists felt they were being forced under a system that was not part of their own laws or traditions.

Grievance 14: Housing Soldiers

"For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:"

In 1765, Parliament passed the Quartering Act. This law forced colonists to provide housing and supplies for British soldiers. It even set punishments for those who refused. The colonists saw this as a direct violation of their homes and privacy.

Grievance 15: Protecting Murderers

"For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:"

This grievance points to cases where British soldiers or officials committed crimes, but were protected from fair punishment. For example, in 1768, two people in Maryland died in a fight with British Marines. Despite strong evidence, the Marines were found not guilty. Colonists felt that the legal system was rigged to protect British officials.

Grievance 16: Cutting Off Trade

"For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world".

Before the American Revolution, Britain passed laws called the Navigation Acts. These laws controlled colonial trade, especially with countries like Spain and France. This greatly limited the colonists' ability to make money and trade freely with other nations, which they felt was unfair.

Grievance 17: Taxes Without Consent

"For imposing taxes on us without our consent:"

This was one of the biggest complaints. Britain imposed many taxes, like the Stamp Act and duties on goods such as paper, glass, and tea. The colonists strongly believed in "no taxation without representation." They felt it was wrong to be taxed by a government in which they had no elected representatives. Britain was trying to pay off debts from the Seven Years' War, but the colonists felt they shouldn't have to pay without having a say.

Grievance 18: Denying Jury Trials

"For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Jury trial:"

After British officials were forced out of Boston in 1768, a law was passed that put tax law violations under the control of admiralty courts. In these courts, there were no juries, and the judges were often biased towards the King. This meant colonists accused of breaking tax laws could not get a fair trial by their peers.

Grievance 19: Trials Overseas

"For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses:"

In 1774, Parliament passed the Administration of Justice Act. This law allowed British officials accused of crimes in the colonies, including murder, to be sent to another colony or even to Great Britain for trial. The colonists saw this as a way to avoid justice, as it would be very hard for victims or witnesses to travel so far for a trial. This act was strongly criticized even in Parliament.

Grievance 20: Changing Laws in Neighboring Provinces

"For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:"

This refers to the Quebec Act of 1774. This act expanded the use of French civil law in Quebec instead of English common law. It also greatly expanded Quebec's borders into what is now the Midwestern United States. The colonists feared this was a test to see if the King could impose similar "arbitrary" (unfair and uncontrolled) rule and expand his power over their own colonies.

Grievance 21: Taking Away Charters and Laws

"For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:"

This complaint is similar to earlier ones. It refers to how the King changed the Massachusetts charter. This made judges and other officials loyal to the King, not the people. The governor gained power to appoint judges and other officials, and since sheriffs chose juries, the right to a fair trial by jury was almost lost. The colonists felt their basic system of government was being destroyed.

Grievance 22: Suspending Legislatures

"For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever".

This is another complaint about the King shutting down colonial legislatures. For example, the New York Legislature was suspended. In some cases, governors would dissolve assemblies and then claim the right to make laws themselves. This meant the colonists had no say in the laws that governed them.

Grievance 23: Abandoning Government and Waging War

"He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us."

In 1775, King George III declared the colonists to be in open rebellion. By sending armies to America, the colonists felt he had given up his role as their protector and was now making war on them. He also approved using Native Americans to fight against the colonists and hired German soldiers (Hessians) to fight. The colonists saw this as the King abandoning his duty to them.

Grievance 24: Attacking Coasts and Towns

"He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people."

British forces carried out naval attacks on the colonies. They seized American merchant ships, attacked coastal towns, and caused destruction. These actions directly harmed the colonists' lives and property.

Grievance 25: Hiring Foreign Soldiers

"He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and unworthy the Head of a civilized nation."

The colonists were outraged that King George III hired German soldiers, known as Hessians, to fight against them. They saw this as an extreme act of cruelty and betrayal, especially coming from the leader of a supposedly civilized nation.

Grievance 26: Forcing Captured Citizens to Fight

"He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands."

In late 1775, a British law allowed the capture of American ships. It also said that the crews of armed vessels should be forced into the British navy, rather than being treated as prisoners of war. This meant American sailors could be forced to fight against their own country, their friends, and their families. Even members of Parliament called this act cruel.

Grievance 27: Inciting Conflict

"He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions."

This grievance states that the King encouraged conflicts within the colonies. For example, Governor Dunmore of Virginia tried to encourage enslaved people to rebel against their masters in 1775. The King also tried to get Native American tribes to fight against the colonists, which the colonists viewed as a brutal tactic.