The Declaration of Independence was designed for multiple audiences: the King, the colonists, and the world. It was also designed to multitask. Its goals were to rally the troops, win foreign allies, and to announce the creation of a new country. The introductory sentence states the Declaration’s main purpose, to explain the colonists’ right to revolution. In other words, “to declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” Congress had to prove the legitimacy of its cause. It had just defied the most powerful nation on Earth. It needed to motivate foreign allies to join the fight. Show PreambleThese are the lines contemporary Americans know best: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.” These stirring words were designed to convince Americans to put their lives on the line for the cause. Separation from the mother country threatened their sense of security, economic stability, and identity. The preamble sought to inspire and unite them through the vision of a better life. List of GrievancesThe list of 27 complaints against King George III constitute the proof of the right to rebellion. Congress cast “the causes which impel them to separation” in universal terms for an international audience. Join our fight, reads the subtext, and you join humankind’s fight against tyranny. Resolution of IndependenceThe most important and dramatic statement comes near the end: “That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States.” It declares a complete break with Britain and its King and claims the powers of an independent country. Back to Main Page How did it happen? The Declaration of Independence included twenty-seven specific grievances about the conduct of the King and British government. We asked our contributors to choose one and tell us something about it. The grievances are listed at the end of this article, with numbers added for convenience. Grievance: “He has endeavoured 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.” Grievance: “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.” Grievance: “He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.” Grievance: “He has affected to render the
Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.” Grievance: “For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.” Grievance: “For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States.” Grievance: “For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.” Grievance: “For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.” Grievance: “For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences.” Grievance: “For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies.” Grievance: “For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments.” Grievance: “He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.” Grievance:
“He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.” Grievance: “He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of
death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.” Grievance: “He has excited domestic
insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured 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.” The twenty-seven grievances in the Declaration of Independence (with numbers added for convenience):
Why were the grievances included in the Declaration of Independence?Colonists Sought Allies to Fight England
Instead, the Declaration and its 27 grievances were intended to prove “to a candid World”—specifically France and Spain—that “these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States.”
What was the purpose of the declaration of grievances?List of Grievances. The list of 27 complaints against King George III constitute the proof of the right to rebellion. Congress cast “the causes which impel them to separation” in universal terms for an international audience.
What does the Declaration of Independence say about grievances?Grievance: “For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies.”
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