How many complaints were in the declaration of independence

In June , delegates who supported independence suggested that if Congress declared it soon, France might immediately accept its invitation to an alliance. Then the French Navy could start intercepting British supply ships bound for America that very summer. But in reality it took French King Louis XVI a long 18 months to agree to a formal alliance, and the first French ships and soldiers did not enter the war until June Instead, as the literary scholar Eric Slauter discovered , they spotlighted its clauses justifying one nation or state in breaking up with another.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Banner image photo credit: Pete Saloutos via Getty Images. Grievance 14 "For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us. Even though there was overwhelming evidence against them, the marines were acquitted. Grievance 16 "For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world. It also set regulations on how trade was to be carried out between England and her colonies.

Since they had gotten so used to trading with whoever they wanted in whatever way they wanted, the colonists now saw this as unjustly restrictive it also meant their smuggling operations were jeopardized. Grievance 17 "For imposing taxes on us without our consent. Grievance 18 "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of trial by jury. Any cases concerning these regulations were tried by the Admiralty Court, which did not make use of a jury.

Grievance 19 "For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses. This bill was also vehemently opposed by colonial supporters in Parliament who saw it only as an act of retaliation and revenge against the colony which is exactly what it was, as by , Parliament was determined to force the colonies to submit to their authority.

Grievance 20 "For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies.

This also meant that the Catholic faith would be allowed to continue in Canada, as well as its influence in Canadian civil government. This provision angered the 13 colonies deeply, as they saw it as a betrayal and breach of trust by the King and Parliament, who had previously always worked to stamp out Catholic religion and influence wherever encountered. The colonists feared that if Parliament could so easily abandon traditional English government in Canada, what would keep them from deciding to do the same in their colonies?

The colonists were also angered by the provisions of the act that expanded the boundaries of Quebec out into the modern Midwest of the U. Grievance 21 "For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments.

Gage it also put the colony more or less under martial law the power to appoint their own choices for the various colony government positions such as judges, attorney generals, justices of the peace, and sheriffs. Grievance 22 "For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

Grievance 23 "He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. The Quebec Act was responsible for keeping Canada loyal to the Crown. The present in Quebec was the future in America. This began to change in the s. Throughout the crises of the s these charters were used as the main defense against parliamentary intrusions into the colonies, but what it meant to be a British subject had changed after Struggling in their efforts, the rebels relied on an ancient feudal concept based on the reciprocal obligations of the Crown providing protection to its people in exchange for their allegiance.

The absence of one meant that the contract had been violated and permitted revolt. In truth, England never withdrew its protection, but it has served as a convenient argument to justify rebellion. However, I feel it is even more a damning indictment of Adm. Samuel Graves, who conceived of the attack and by extension Capt. Henry Mowatt, who carried it out. The act basically ruined them. Their careers were never the same afterwards.

From the British perspective, it was all about those merchants evading tariffs with widespread smuggling and trading with enemies. Timothy Symington : I have always been bothered by this particular grievance, perhaps because the racism towards the Native Americans is so blatant.

This may have been the general opinion of members of the Congress. Jefferson himself probably did not see the Native Americans as savage or merciless, and he was fascinated with their culture.

But, war was the setting, so anyone the British sided with had to be turned into monsters. The Americans should also not have been surprised by the British trying to turn the slaves against them. What else was to be expected? The grievance, I believe, was completely unnecessary.

It did not seem to be needed, other than contributing to and strengthening an immediate sense of outrage. Bryan Rindfleisch : For Native American communities, the Declaration of Independence — particularly the final grievance — means something very different from other Americans today.

In short, Native American communities today have a very different outlook on, and relationship with, the Declaration of Independence. Eric Sterner : The vast bulk of the reasons for declaring independence relate to political thought and self-government. In truth, he had likely overstepped his authority. Even so, without the change, the Declaration likely would not have been approved by the Congress. Bell : By the end of April , the provincial army besieging Boston included a company of Native men from Stockbridge, Massachusetts.