Within the Declaration of Independence, the founders of the United States present twenty-seven grievances against King George III as they declare their reasons for why the thirteen British North American colonies sought their independence from Great Britain. Their twenty-fifth grievance declares that King George III “is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat [sic] the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun.”

What do we know about the “Armies of foreign Mercenaries” King George III sent to his rebellious American colonies?

Friederike Baer, an Associate Professor of History at Penn State Abbington College, joins us to explore the lives and wartime experiences of the 30,000 German soldiers the British Crown hired and dispatched to North America during the American War for Independence. Frederike is the author of the award-winning book Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War.

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Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Complementary Episodes

Episode 046: Whirlwind: The American Revolution & the War That Won It Episode 048: Dangerous Guests: Enemy Captives During the War for Independence Episode 081: After Yorktown Episode 144: The Common Cause Episode 147: British Soldiers, American War Episode 157: The Revolution’s African American Soldiers Episode 252: The Highland Soldier in North America Episode 375: Misinformation Nation Listen!

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