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I don't know how to summarize the top ten list of grievances in the Declaration of Independence?

I have to decide on which of the grievances provide the best evidence that justifies the colonies' need for independence. Then I have to later rewrite them and I have no idea how to sum them up? Does anyone know the top ten and can anyone simplify them for me?

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1. Here is a nice site that summarizes the situation at the time: (remove ALL spaces from this link) http://students.kennesaw.edu/ ~talter/Thomas%20Jefferson %20-%20The%20 Declaration%20of% 20Independence.htm I think your biggest challenges are (1) understanding the old-fashioned wording of the grievances; and (2) deciding which ones YOU think are most important. I looked at many websites, and nobody mentioned any "top ten" grievances. You need to put yourself in their shoes, and think like a Patriot. Then you can decide which ten you believe to be the most important. I couldn't find where anyone has simplified the grievances, so I will try to do that for you, but I ask that you still rewrite them for your teacher in your own words, using my words to help your understanding. So here are the grievances against the king: * He refused to agree to laws that were needed for the good of the people. * He told his Governors that they could not enact any laws without his permission, but then would not give permission * He refused to pass laws over large groups of people unless they agreed to give up their rights to have a leader speak for them about their needs * He called important lawmaking meetings in places that were so far away, the people could not participate * When the people appointed leaders to represent them, the king refused to acknowledge them or the rights of the people. * When the people tried to appoint another whom the king might like, the king refused to allow any elections, which caused great trouble and confusion in the colonies. * He prevented immigrants from coming to the colonies, in order to keep their numbers small, and also made it more difficult for them to own land. * He would not allow the people to set up just laws for maintaining order in the colonies. * He controlled all the judges, so that they would do whatever he liked rather than what was right. * He created new positions so that he could send his own people to fill them, to cause even more trouble for the colonists. * During times of peace, he forced the colonists to live under military rule. * He caused this military rule to be separate from and more powerful than the people's representatives and their laws. * He forced the colonists to follow a legal system that did not agree with their beliefs or laws. * He allowed large groups of soldiers to have their living quarters among the colonists. * He used mock (set-up) trials of any of his troops who killed colonists, so that they would go unpunished. * He made it impossible for the colonies to trade by ship with other countries around the globe. * He forced the people to pay him taxes even though they had no chance to vote on whether the taxes were fair. * Many colonists were pronounced guilty without a trial by jury (made up of other colonists). * He forced colonists to be shipped out of the Americas, even though they weren't really guilty of doing anything wrong. * He forced a neighboring colony to live under laws that did not give them the freedoms guaranteed under English Law, and then changed the boundaries to force the colonists to abide by the same strict laws. * He took away all the formerly established laws and charters which guaranteed the colonists' rights. * He refused to allow the colonists to have representatives in a legislature that would create good laws, instead forcing them to live under government controls that he established. * He refused to recognize any of the colonists' elected officials, refused to protect the colonists' lives or their rights, and basically declared war against them. * He attacked their ships, their coastal cities, their towns, and killed their people. * He hired foreign soldiers to fight against the colonists, acting not like a civilized king, but a barbarian. * He forced colonists who were captured at sea to fight against their own countrymen, or be killed themselves. * He used his powers to cause the Native Americans (indians) to attack and kill the colonists, including their old people, women, and children. * He proved himself to be unfit as king, because no matter how the people tried to reach a peacable agreement, he continued to be cruel and unreasonable. Best wishes to you!