I study the Declaration of Independence, and here’s why the colonists’ grievances are surprisingly relevant, 250 years later

Title: Declaration of Independence. Description: 12′ x 18′ oil on canvas painting in the US Capitol Rotunda. Painting depicts the moment on June 28, 1776, when the first draft of the Declaration of Independence was presented to the Second Continental Congress. Painting by John Trumbull via Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain. Article by Robert Parkinson. The Conversation – June 24, 2026.

The Declaration of Independence, with its block of cursive letters scrawled onto parchment, looks like a relic from the distant past. Likewise, you might think the 27 grievances against King George III, his government and the British people listed in the body of the document would have little relevance to our lives today. After all, what could the specific complaints of colonists in 1776 have to do with 2026? The parts of the declaration worth knowing about are the soaring sentences in the opening paragraphs about self-evident truths, pursuing happiness and all men being created equal. Right? […]

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