Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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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.

Explore more:
billofrightsinstitute.org/constitution-day

#DeclarationOfIndependence #Grievance23 #AmericanRevolution #USHistory #Civics #SocialContract #JohnAdams