The 27 Grievances of the Declaration of Independence
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Grievance #1 of the Declaration of Independence
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What actually pushed the American colonies to declare independence? It wasn’t just one moment, it was a list of 27 specific grievances against King George III that built over time.
In this first video of our 27-part series, Dr. C.C. Borzilleri breaks down the big idea behind the Declaration of Independence and where those grievances come from. From the influence of the Magna Carta to John Locke’s natural rights, the Founders weren’t starting from scratch. They were building on centuries of ideas about freedom, government, and the rule of law.
So what happens when a government stops protecting people’s rights? That question is at the heart of the Declaration and this series is here to unpack every single grievance, one by one.
This video kicks off our Constitution Day Live programming starting September 1. Follow along as we break down the Declaration in a way that actually makes sense.
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Grievance #2 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when a government ignores its own laws?
In Grievance 2 of the Declaration of Independence, the colonists call out King George III for refusing to approve important colonial laws and then completely neglecting them. As Dr. Susan Brynne Long explains, this wasn’t just frustrating, it made it nearly impossible for colonial governments to function.
At the core of this grievance is a bigger idea: government exists to serve the people. Influenced by Enlightenment thinking, the colonists believed that when a government stops doing its job, the people have a responsibility to respond.
This wasn’t a one-time complaint either. Thomas Jefferson raised the same issue years earlier, showing just how long this problem had been building and why it became a breaking point in 1776.
This is Part 2 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance in the Declaration of Independence, leading up to Independence Day.
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Grievance #3 of the Declaration of Independence
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Why did the colonists start calling King George III a tyrant? It came down to one thing: representation.
In Grievance 3 of the Declaration of Independence, the colonists push back against British policies that blocked westward expansion and limited representation in colonial governments. Even when new districts were created, they weren’t allowed a voice.
For colonists, this wasn’t just about land, it was about power. More land should mean more representation. Without it, they believed their rights were being ignored.
Thomas Jefferson made it clear: without representation, the people were subject to the unchecked will of the king. That idea helped transform “Farmer George” into something else entirely, the Tyrant King.
This is Part 3 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #4 of the Declaration of Independence
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What if your government made it harder for leaders to even meet?
In Grievance 4 of the Declaration of Independence, @SavyPolitics from Utah Valley University explains how royal governors sometimes required colonial legislatures to meet in remote locations instead of their usual capitals.
On the surface, it might seem minor. But the impact was real. Meeting far from population centers made it harder to access records, communicate with constituents, and even gather enough members to function.
Colonists believed this wasn’t random. They saw it as a tactic to pressure legislatures into going along with British policies, especially during moments of political tension. Even if it didn’t happen often, it revealed something bigger: a distant government could manipulate how local power operated.
This is Part 4 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #5 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when a government shuts down your representatives entirely?
In Grievance #5 of the Declaration of Independence, C. David Carlson of Trinity Academy South Bend explains how King George III dissolved colonial legislatures when they pushed back against British policies.
Colonial assemblies had a long history of self-government, managing local affairs and representing the people. But as tensions grew in the late 1760s and 1770s, those assemblies began coordinating resistance to British taxes. The response from the Crown was clear: shut them down.
Massachusetts was one of the first, but it didn’t stop there. Other colonies faced the same fate, especially as they moved toward unified action through the Continental Congress.
This wasn’t just a political disagreement anymore. Dissolving representative governments signaled something bigger: a shift from conflict over policy to a crisis over power and self-rule.
This is Part 5 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #6 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when a government disappears completely?
In Grievance 6 of the Declaration of Independence, Dr. Mathew Goetz of the White House Historical Association breaks down what it meant when King George III dissolved colonial governments and left the colonies without leadership.
Without functioning governments, colonists were left to defend themselves from both external threats and internal instability. This wasn’t just disorder, it challenged the very purpose of government.
The Founders were influenced by the idea of the social contract, the belief that government exists to protect the people. When that protection fails, the agreement between the people and the government is broken.
By shutting down colonial governments, Jefferson argued that the king violated that contract. And once that happened, the colonists believed they had the right to do something radical: form a new government.
This is Part 6 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #7 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when a government limits who can move in and where people can go?
In Grievance 7 of the Declaration of Independence, Jennifer Seiter of the UVA Democracy and Capitalism Lab explains how the king restricted immigration and westward expansion, making it harder for people to settle and build new lives in the colonies.
Fewer people meant fewer opportunities. Colonists believed growth brought economic opportunity through trade, labor, and new communities. But British policies, including limits tied to the Proclamation of 1763, kept settlers from moving west and expanding.
By 1776, this wasn’t just about population control. It was about the future. Colonists saw these restrictions as a direct threat to their ability to improve their lives and build something better.
This is Part 7 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #8 of the Declaration of Independence
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Can justice really be fair if judges answer to the king?
In Grievance #8 of the Declaration of Independence, Chris Canty, graduate student at George Washington University, explains how King George III blocked laws that would establish independent courts in the colonies.
Colonists wanted judges to serve independently, protected from political pressure. In England, judges could hold office during “good behavior,” helping ensure fair decisions. But the king repeatedly rejected similar protections in the colonies and kept judges dependent on the Crown.
For colonists, this wasn’t just a legal issue. It was proof that they were being treated differently than subjects living in England and denied the same protections under the law.
The fight over independent courts became so important that the principle later appeared in Article III of the U.S. Constitution.
This is Part 8 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #9 of the Declaration of Independence
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Can you trust the courts if judges answer to the king?
In Grievance #9 of the Declaration of Independence, Dr. Melissa Dow, professor at the University of West Florida, explains how King George III made colonial judges dependent on him for their jobs and salaries.
Instead of being paid by local legislatures, judges were paid by the Crown. That meant their loyalty could shift away from the people and toward the king, raising serious concerns about fairness and bias in the legal system.
This grievance connects to a bigger idea: separation of powers. Political thinkers like Montesquieu argued that liberty depends on keeping government powers separate, especially the courts from political control.
By influencing the judiciary, colonists believed the king was undermining one of the key protections of freedom: independent courts.
This is Part 9 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #10 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when the government suddenly floods your town with officials and new rules?
In Grievance #10 of the Declaration of Independence, JJ Nattrass from George Washington University explains why colonists were frustrated by the growing number of British offices and officers sent to enforce imperial laws.
As Britain passed new measures like the Stamp Act and the Intolerable Acts, enforcement expanded across the colonies. More offices. More officials. More oversight.
To colonists, these “swarms of officers” felt intrusive and overwhelming. They collected taxes, enforced regulations, and inserted themselves into everyday life in ways many Americans had never experienced before.
This grievance wasn’t just about bureaucracy. Colonists believed British policies were threatening their livelihoods, freedoms, and ability to build lives on their own terms.
This is Part 10 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #11 of the Declaration of Independence
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Why were British troops stationed throughout the colonies during peacetime?
In Grievance #11 of the Declaration of Independence, JJ Nattrass from George Washington University explains why colonists grew increasingly suspicious of the British military presence in America.
After the Seven Years’ War, Britain kept standing armies in the colonies, claiming the troops were there to maintain stability and prevent further conflict. But many colonists saw something very different.
Redcoats appeared not just on the frontier, but in major cities, where their presence began to feel less like protection and more like surveillance and intimidation.
Events like the Boston Massacre only deepened those fears. To many Americans, the presence of standing armies without local consent looked like a direct threat to liberty and self-government.
This is Part 11 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #12 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when military power and government power get combined?
In Grievance #12 of the Declaration of Independence, Dr. C.C. Borzilleri explains why colonists were alarmed when British military leaders gained increasing control over colonial government during the imperial crisis.
In 1774, Thomas Gage became both royal governor of Massachusetts and Commander in Chief of British forces in North America. To colonists, placing civil and military authority in the hands of one person violated key Enlightenment ideas about limiting power and preventing abuse.
The concern wasn’t just about one official. It was about a larger principle: governments need checks and balances so no single authority can dominate the people.
Colonists feared that combining military and political power threatened their ability to consent to the laws and systems governing them.
This is Part 12 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #13 of the Declaration of Independence
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What do the Stamp Act, the Intolerable Acts, and Taylor Swift’s favorite number have in common?
In Grievance #13 of the Declaration of Independence, Jennifer Seiter from the UVA Democracy and Capitalism Lab breaks down why colonists believed Britain was overstepping its authority and making laws without limits.
As Parliament passed laws like the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, and Intolerable Acts, colonists became increasingly frustrated with taxes and restrictions imposed from across the Atlantic.
But the real issue wasn’t just money. Colonists believed these laws violated the British constitutional system because they were being imposed by a government where Americans had no real voice.
For Britain, Parliament had the authority to act. For colonists, that authority had crossed the line into tyranny.
This growing clash over power, representation, and constitutional rights pushed the colonies closer and closer to independence.
This is Part 13 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #14 of the Declaration of Independence
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What if soldiers could show up and expect you to feed and house them?
In Grievance #14 of the Declaration of Independence, C. David Carlson from Trinity Academy South Bend explains why colonists were outraged by the British Quartering Acts.
Passed in 1765 and again in 1774, these laws required colonists to provide food and shelter for British troops stationed in America. While soldiers weren’t typically placed directly inside private homes, colonists still had to support what many increasingly viewed as an occupying force.
At a time when tensions with Britain were already exploding, being forced to house and supply soldiers only made things worse.
This grievance became so important that it later inspired the Third Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which limits the quartering of soldiers in private homes.
This is Part 14 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #15 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when trials are moved somewhere else?
In Grievance 15 of the Declaration of Independence, Hannah Nolan, PhD Candidate at the University of Maryland, explains how British officials allowed soldiers to be tried outside the colonies, raising serious concerns about accountability.
After events like the Boston Massacre, colonists had already seen that local courts could deliver fair trials, even in highly emotional situations. But the Administration of Justice Act of 1774 changed that, allowing cases involving British soldiers to be moved elsewhere.
For many colonists, this felt like a loophole. If trials weren’t held locally, would justice actually be served?
This grievance wasn’t just about one law. It was about a bigger fear: that those in power could avoid consequences, leaving colonists without real protection under the law.
This is Part 15 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #16 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when a government controls who you can trade with?
In Grievance 16 of the Declaration of Independence, Grace Richter, PhD candidate in history at George Washington University, explains how Britain tightened control over colonial trade through laws like the Navigation Acts.
For years, colonists had traded relatively freely, even with countries outside the British Empire. But as tensions grew, Britain began strictly enforcing these laws and restricting trade. The shutdown of the Boston port in 1774 made things even worse, cutting off a major hub of economic activity.
For many colonists, this wasn’t just about money. Trade was their livelihood, and controlling it meant controlling their freedom. What once felt like loose oversight turned into something much more serious: direct control over colonial economies and daily life.
This is Part 16 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #17 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when a government controls who you can trade with?
In Grievance 16 of the Declaration of Independence, Grace Richter, PhD candidate in history at George Washington University, explains how Britain tightened control over colonial trade through laws like the Navigation Acts.
For years, colonists had traded relatively freely, even with countries outside the British Empire. But as tensions grew, Britain began strictly enforcing these laws and restricting trade. The shutdown of the Boston port in 1774 made things even worse, cutting off a major hub of economic activity.
For many colonists, this wasn’t just about money. Trade was their livelihood, and controlling it meant controlling their freedom. What once felt like loose oversight turned into something much more serious: direct control over colonial economies and daily life.
This is Part 16 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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Grievance #18 of the Declaration of Independence
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What happens when a government controls who you can trade with?
In Grievance 16 of the Declaration of Independence, Grace Richter, PhD candidate in history at George Washington University, explains how Britain tightened control over colonial trade through laws like the Navigation Acts.
For years, colonists had traded relatively freely, even with countries outside the British Empire. But as tensions grew, Britain began strictly enforcing these laws and restricting trade. The shutdown of the Boston port in 1774 made things even worse, cutting off a major hub of economic activity.
For many colonists, this wasn’t just about money. Trade was their livelihood, and controlling it meant controlling their freedom. What once felt like loose oversight turned into something much more serious: direct control over colonial economies and daily life.
This is Part 16 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
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