Declaration Of Independence Grievances Essay

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When the Revolutionary War began on April 19, 1775, the colonists were not looking to separate completely from Great Britain. By offering the King the Olive Branch petition later in the year, the colonists proved they simply wanted their rights restored. However, after the petition was denied, the colonists realized they could no longer restore their relationship with Great Britain. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing their independence from Great Britain. This document was drafted by Thomas Jefferson and Congress later approved of the final draft, omitting certain parts such as the clause that condemned the slave trade. The Declaration of Independence did not just announce the colonists’ …show more content…

The list contained twenty-seven grievances, all showcasing the ways in which the King denied the colonists their rights. The strongest grievances are all related to each other, but listed separately in the document. The fifth and sixth grievances can be tied together as they both have to do with the dissolving of colonial governments. The fifth one states that “He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasion on the rights of people” (Declaration”). This explains that the King struck down any colonial assembly that was created in order to have representation and the sixth grievance follows: “He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions to cause other to be elected: whereby the legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the state remaining the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within” (Declaration). After dissolving the colonial assemblies, the King prevents any other assembly from being created in order to prevent any opposition to the way he rules (interpretation). Another one of the grievances states, “for imposing Taxes on us without our Consent” (declaration). This grievance explains the multiple taxes placed on the colonists to fund a war …show more content…

It is still used today as the fundamental basis of our government; that the government is meant to protect the rights of its people. However, at the time that it was written, it was used more as a document to rally the people for independence, even people outside of the colonies. This is because the colonists knew they would need allies and at the time, no foreign country wished to interfere with the British Empire (political). By issuing this document, the colonists were able to persuade not only the other unsure colonists, but also possible foreign aid that the King was violating his

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