Proclamation of Rebellion

First published August 23, 1775; excerpted from Documents of American History, 1958

"All our Officers, civil and military, are obliged to exert their utmost endeavours to suppress [the colonies'] rebellion, and to bring the traitors to justice, [and] all our subjects … are bound by law … to disclose and make known all traitorous conspiracies and attempts against us, our crown and dignity…. "

King George III, from the Proclamation of Rebellion

In February 1775, King George III (1738–1820) and Parliament declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. Two months later the first shots of the Revolutionary War rang out in Lexington, Massachusetts. The Americans created the Continental Army, and preparations for war moved forward.

News of continued American resistance infuriated King George. Never before had any British king had to endure disobedience on this scale from his subjects...