Simone Lawson
The 27 Grievances refer to a section of the United States Declaration of Independence, drafted by the Second Continental Congress's Committee of Five. The document lists the grievances against King George III and his regime, specifically concerning the colonies in North America. The grievances include the refusal to assent to laws necessary for the public good, the deprivation of trial by jury, and the quartering of large bodies of armed troops among the colonists. The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, served as the birth certificate of the nation, establishing the inalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Document | The United States Declaration of Independence |
| Author | The Second Continental Congress's Committee of Five |
| Date | July 4, 1776 |
| Purpose | To list grievances with the actions and decisions of King George III with regard to the colonies in North America |
| Content | 27 specific grievances against the King and his regime |
| Rights Established | Inalienable rights including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness |
| Related Documents | Declaration of Rights and Grievances, written by the Stamp Act Congress and passed on October 14, 1765; Articles of Association |
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What You'll Learn
The 27 Grievances are listed in the US Declaration of Independence
The grievances were listed to justify the colonies' separation from Great Britain. They include King George III's refusal to approve laws passed by the colonies, such as those governing their slaves, creating colonial currencies, and requesting representatives to be sent to Parliament. The King's actions were seen as opposing the very purpose of governance and infringing on the Rights of Englishmen.
The colonies also took issue with the British military occupation of Boston, which was seen as a tool to enforce various revenue acts, such as the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts. They objected to the Quartering Act, which allowed army officers to appropriate private property to quarter troops without consent, and the Intolerable Acts, which included the Boston Port Act and the Massachusetts Government Act.
The Declaration of Independence also highlights the importance of certain inalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which are believed to be endowed by the Creator, rather than by people in power. The right to trial by jury in criminal cases is also asserted, along with the right to peaceably assemble, consider grievances, and petition the King.
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They are against King George III and his regime
The 27 Grievances are a section from the United States Declaration of Independence, drafted by the Second Continental Congress's Committee of Five. The document lists the grievances of the colonists against the actions and decisions of King George III and his regime with regard to the colonies in North America.
The colonists' main concern was self-governance, and each time King George III refused to ratify colonial legislation, their concerns intensified. The King's appointed governors in the colonies refused to endorse laws that colonists viewed as conducive to the public good. For example, the Massachusetts Assembly passed a law in 1770 to tax government officers in the colony, but the King ordered the governor to withhold his assent, violating the colonial charter and demonstrating the limited power of the colonies.
The colonists also took issue with the King's control over the courts of law. The King appointed all the colony's judges, and they were dependent on him for their salaries, which came from taxes and duties on the colonists. This deprived the colonists of the benefit of trial by jury and obstructed the "administration of justice". The judges and royally appointed governors drew their salaries from the King, leading the colonists to believe that their officers sympathized with Parliament but not with the colonies.
In addition, the colonists were unhappy with the King's decision to keep a permanent army in the colonies. While the colonists initially welcomed the protection provided by the soldiers, by the 1760s and early 1770s, they had come to see the army as a tool for Parliament to enforce various revenue acts, such as the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts. The Quartering Act of 1774, passed in response to the Boston Tea Party, allowed army officers to appropriate private property to quarter their troops without the consent of the property owners.
The Declaration of Independence was designed for multiple audiences: the King, the colonists, and the world. It was intended to rally the troops, win foreign allies, and announce the creation of a new country.
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The grievances include the denial of trial by jury
The 27 Grievances refer to a section of the United States Declaration of Independence, drafted by the Second Continental Congress's Committee of Five. This document lists the grievances against King George III regarding his actions and decisions impacting the North American colonies. The Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted and issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
The denial of trial by jury was one of the significant grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence. The colonists considered the loss of trial by jury as a violation of their basic rights as Englishmen. They believed that trial by jury was essential for safeguarding against unjust practices and ensuring a fair judicial system.
The English Bill of Rights of 1689 affirmed the right to a trial by jury, and English colonists viewed this as one of their fundamental liberties. The trial by jury became a pivotal issue in the resistance to British tyranny during the 1760s and 1770s. The British began enforcing the Navigation Acts, which led to colonial smugglers being tried in Vice-Admiralty courts without a jury.
The Stamp Act of 1765, for instance, stipulated that alleged violators would be tried by a judge alone, without the involvement of a jury. This prompted protests from the colonists, who felt that their right to a fair trial was being compromised. They argued that a local jury, chosen from their peers, was essential for protecting their liberties and ensuring just verdicts.
The denial of trial by jury was also addressed in the Declaration and Resolves issued by the Continental Congress in 1774. The Continental Congress affirmed the rights of the colonies to be tried by their peers, in accordance with the common law of England. The inclusion of this grievance in the Declaration of Independence reflected the colonists' strong belief in the importance of trial by jury as a cornerstone of their justice system.
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The King's refusal to approve laws passed by the colonies
The 27 Grievances is a section of the United States Declaration of Independence, drafted by the Second Continental Congress's Committee of Five. It lists the grievances of the colonists in North America against the actions and decisions of King George III. One of the main issues addressed in these grievances is the King's refusal to approve laws passed by the colonies.
The Colonial Assemblies passed legislation on various matters, including the regulation of their commercial operations, the creation of colonial currencies, and the appointment of representatives to Parliament. However, the King withheld his approval, known as Assent, for these laws. This was seen as a violation of the principle of self-governance, which was of utmost importance to the Founding Fathers. The King's refusal to ratify Colonial legislation intensified their concerns.
The King also forbade his governors from passing laws of immediate importance without first obtaining his Assent, and when such laws were suspended, he neglected to address them. For example, the Massachusetts Assembly passed a law in 1770 to tax government officers, but the King ordered the governor to withhold his Assent. By doing so, the King violated the colonial charter and demonstrated the limited power of the colonies.
The King also interfered with the judiciary by removing judiciary powers from the people in Massachusetts and paying the judges himself, with funds derived from taxes on the colonists. This made the judges dependent on the King, leading to concerns that they would be loyal to him rather than the people. The colonists were often denied the right to a trial by jury, which was considered a fundamental right of Englishmen.
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The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson
The 27 Grievances refer to a section of the United States Declaration of Independence, which lists the grievances of the Second Continental Congress with the actions and decisions of King George III regarding the North American colonies. The Second Continental Congress Committee of Five drafted the document, which was then edited by the whole of Congress. The Committee of Five included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R Livingston (or Robert Sherman, according to some sources), and Roger Sherman.
Thomas Jefferson is credited with writing the Declaration of Independence. He wrote the first draft of the Declaration, which was then edited by the other members of the committee and by the whole of Congress. Jefferson wrote the document in isolation between June 11 and June 28, 1776, in Philadelphia. He was chosen for his writing ability and likely wrote the first draft quickly, given the busy schedule of Congress. The document was formally adopted on July 4, 1776, and 56 members of Congress signed it.
The Declaration of Independence was considered a treasonous statement against the British Crown, and those who signed it did so courageously. The document was a formal explanation of why the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Great Britain. It established that people have certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights, according to the Declaration, are granted by God, not by people in power.
The 27 Grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence include the King's refusal to assent to laws considered necessary for the public good, the obstruction of the "administration of justice", and the loss of the right to trial by jury. The King's appointment of judges who relied on him for their salaries and were therefore sympathetic to Parliament, was also listed as a grievance. The Quartering Act of 1765, which allowed soldiers to request shelter from any citizen, was another grievance. The list of 27 Grievances was influenced by the works of John Locke, as well as historical precedents such as the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights of 1689.
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Frequently asked questions
The 27 grievances are outlined in the United States Declaration of Independence.
The 27 grievances were against King George III and his regime. They accused the King of being a "tyrant" and claimed that he had forfeited his right to rule the Americans by breaking laws and disregarding the rights of his people.
Examples of the 27 grievances include the King's refusal to approve laws passed by the colonies, the imposition of taxes, the deprivation of trial by jury, and the quartering of large bodies of armed troops in the colonies.
