Question

Was the Declaration an objective and unbiased statement of the American-British conflict?

Answer 1

The Declaration of Independence was not "objective and unbiased," because it strongly represented the position of the colonists over against the British.

The fact that the Declaration had a strong position favoring independence and against the British government doesn't mean that Thomas Jefferson, in authoring it, did not try to include some points of fact to support the position the colonies were asserting.  Jefferson provided a list of "facts to be submitted to a candid world" to demonstrate that the British king had been seeking to establish "an absolute Tyranny over these States" (the colonial states which were declaring their independence).  

Jefferson's list included items such as:

• The king refused to assent to laws that were wholesome and necessary for the public good.
• The king had forbidden colonial governors to enact laws or implement laws without his assent (which, as the prior point noted, he was in no hurry to give).
• The king forced people to give up their rights to legislative assembly or forced legislative bodies to meet in difficult places that imposed hardships on them.
• The king dissolved legislative assemblies and then refused for a long time to have other assemblies elected.
• The king obstructed justice in the colonies and made judges dependent on his will alone for their salaries and their tenure in office.
• The king kept standing armies in place in the colonies in peacetime, without the consent of the colonial legislatures.
• The king imposed taxes without the colonists' consent.

These and additional items listed in the Declaration were meant to support the colonies' position that tyranny was standard operating procedure by the British monarchy, and therefore revolution was justified.

Answer 2

No--the Declaration of Independence only represented the opinions of the Patriots.

The Declaration of Independence provides the Patriots version of how the American-British relationship was working. It declares their opinion of the King, taxation, and their lack of representation.

The Declaration of Independence was written to first express the grievances of the Patriots toward the King, George III. Though George responded, the responses were also biased and only represented the views of the King toward those rebelling. The actions of the Patriots didn't even represent all of the colonists. It was truly a slanted document representing northern colonists who were educated and often at least a middle class standing.