Declaration of Rights and Grievances

For the later declaration resulting from the 1774 Coercive Acts, see Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress.

The Declaration of Rights and Grievances was a document written by the Stamp Act Congress and passed on October 19, 1765. It declared that taxes imposed on British colonists without their formal consent were unconstitutional.

The Declaration of Rights raised fourteen points of colonial protest but was not directed exclusively at the Stamp Act 1765, which required that documents, newspapers, and playing cards be printed on special stamped and taxed paper. In addition to the specific protests of the Stamp Act taxes, it made the assertions which follow:

• Colonists owe to the crown "the same allegiance" owed by "subjects born within the realm".
• Colonists owe to Parliament "all due subordination".
• Colonists possessed all the rights of Englishmen.
• Trial by jury is a right.
• The use of Admiralty Courts was abusive.
• Without voting rights, Parliament could not represent the colonists.
• There should be no taxation without representation.
• Only the colonial assemblies had a right to tax the colonies.

See also

• Continental Association
• Petition to the King (1774)
• Conciliatory Resolution
• Olive Branch Petition
• Hutchinson Letters Affair

References

• "The American Journey" Brief 3rd Edition, Published by Prentice Hall

External links

• Full text