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Grievance #25 of the Declaration of Independence
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Founding Principles
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What happens when a government brings in outsiders to fight its own people?
In Grievance #25 of the Declaration of Independence, Savannah Johnston @SavyPolitics from Utah Valley University explains how King George III hired foreign mercenaries to fight in the colonies.
These troops, often called Hessians, were brought in from German states to support the British war effort. For colonists, this crossed a line. It wasn’t just about military strategy, it felt like a ruler turning against his own people.
The presence of foreign soldiers made the conflict more intense and more personal. It pushed many colonists who were still undecided to take a side.
At its core, this grievance raised a serious question: if a king is willing to use foreign forces against his own subjects, can he still claim their loyalty?
This is Part 25 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
0:00 In 1776, the American colonists accused King George III of a shocking act in the Declaration of Independence’s list of grievances. Quote, "He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries." Now, of course, this is referring to the about 30,000 troops from British-aligned German states or states in what is now Germany, also
0:21 called Hessians, to fight for Great Britain in the Revolutionary War. So, what? What’s the big deal with mercenaries? Well, to the colonists, the idea of foreign soldiers enforcing imperial rule feels a lot like tyranny. What’s more, these foreign troops were consistently accused of what today we would consider war crimes, sexual violence, and plundering, and generally
0:43 terrorizing the civilian population. But then, so were British soldiers, and also this was the 18th century, so that’s just kind of how things went. Regardless, the very idea of foreign troops in the colonies helped to turn neutral uh colonists against Britain and against the king. After all, a king who’s willing to use foreign troops against you, against his own subjects,
1:05 is a tyrant, and therefore you owe that tyrant no allegiance.
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What happens when a government gives itself total power? In Grievance 22 of the Declaration of Independence, Sasha Rickard, Assistant Director at MIT Concourse, explains how Parliament suspended colonial legislatures and claimed the right to make laws for the colonies in all cases whatsoever. For colonists, this crossed a line. Laws were supposed to come from representatives chosen by the people, not imposed by a distant government with no input. Drawing on the ideas of John Locke, this wasn’t just unfair, it was dangerous. Claiming absolute power over the colonies was seen as an act of aggression and a violation of the social contract. By dissolving local governments and taking full control, Britain wasn’t just changing policy. Colonists believed it was destroying their right to self-government and putting them under unchecked authority. This is Part 22 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
Did the colonists declare independence, or did Britain force their hand? In Grievance 23 of the Declaration of Independence, Dr. Mathew Goetz of the @WhiteHouseHistoricalAssociation, explains how colonists accused King George III of waging war against them and failing to protect them. At the center of this grievance is the idea of the social contract. Colonists believed government existed to protect the people. But when Britain passed the Prohibitory Act and withdrew protection from American ships, that agreement was broken. By this point, fighting had already begun. What started as a conflict over rights was turning into something much bigger. Some, like John Adams, believed British actions had already made the colonies independent. The Declaration didn’t start independence, it made it official. This is Part 23 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
What happens when your own government starts treating you like the enemy? In Grievance #24 of the Declaration of Independence, Hannah Nolan, PhD Candidate at the University of Maryland, explains how Britain cut off trade, seized American ships, and removed protection from the colonies. For years, colonists had benefited from being part of the British Empire, especially protection from the Royal Navy. But after tensions escalated, Parliament passed the Prohibitory Act, ending trade with the colonies and declaring American ships fair game. To many colonists, this felt like a complete reversal. Instead of protecting them, the British government was now targeting them. Leaders like John Adams argued that this move effectively made the colonies independent before the Declaration was even signed. What was meant as punishment only pushed colonists further toward separation. This is Part 24 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
Primary sources, videos, essays, lessons, and more about what led to the Declaration of Independence
What were the grievances laid out in the Declaration of Independence? Help students define each grievance through modern song lyrics in our interactive quiz leading up to Constitution Day. This Constitution Day, BRI is highlighting the years between the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787.