Before America declared its independence, before anyone started talking seriously about revolution, the colonists made one last desperate appeal to their king. It was called the Olive Branch Petition, and it wasn’t a threat. It was a love letter.
In this episode of Dave Does History, we’re going back to the summer of 1775, when American leaders still believed King George III might save them from Parliament’s abuses. They begged. They praised him. They even prayed for his long reign.
But what they got in return wasn’t peace. It was silence—and then a proclamation branding them as rebels.
Today we’ll explore the heartbreak and hope behind the Olive Branch Petition, why John Dickinson thought it could work, and why the king’s cold rejection slammed the door on reconciliation.
It’s a story of loyalty, disappointment, and the moment America stopped pleading and started fighting. Stay with us.
