The Declaration of Independence lists 27 colonial grievances against King George III.
These grievances form the main body of the document's argument for separation. They accuse the king of obstructing colonial self-government, dissolving legislatures, interfering with courts, maintaining standing armies, restricting trade, and imposing taxes without colonial consent. The complaints describe royal actions as evidence that the king had violated the political rights claimed by the colonists.
The grievances were not simply a list of personal accusations. They were part of a traditional political argument that a government loses legitimacy when it repeatedly violates the rights and laws of the people. The Declaration connects the complaints to its conclusion that the colonies should become independent states.
Some modern readers remember the phrase “taxation without representation” but overlook the document's many other complaints. The list also includes allegations involving military authority, judicial independence, trade restrictions, and the use of foreign troops. Congress edited Jefferson's draft before adopting the final version.