"the history of the present king of great britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states."–declaration of independence the "injuries and usurpations" described in this quote are the colonists' proof that the king violated the principles of limited government, social contract, and natural rights descriptions of actions that follow the principles of limited government, social contract, and natural rights reasons they should have representation in britain under the principles of popular sovereignty and individual rights arguments for why they would rather not separate from britain under the principles of popular sovereignty and individual rights