First Continental Congress |
Second Continental Congress |
The First Continental Congress assembled in September of 1774 at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. It was comprised of delegates from every colony accept Georgia, and they gathered because of the most recent move by England, the new "Intolerable" Acts. The "Intolerable" Acts included the Quartering Act (which required people to open their homes to British soldiers), the Massachusetts Government Act (which gave the English government complete control over town meetings), and the Quebec Act (which cut off Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia from Canada). These moves encroached on the colonists privacy and, as they believed, their rights.
Among the delegates selected, there were John and Sam Adams (Massachusetts), John Dickinson (Pennsylvania), Richard Lee, Patrick Henry, and George Washington, who were from Virginia. These delegates were all natural leaders. One of the agreed upon courses of action was nonimportation. This ensured that British goods were not bought by the colonists, and this damaged England's ability to trade and do business. They also sent a petition to King George III to remove the "Intolerable" Acts. They agreed that if the king didn't do anything about these specific grievances, then they would meet again. |
The Second Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia soon after the Boston Massacre, and also the battles at Lexington and Concord. This was in 1775, and by the time the Second Continental Congress met, the American Revolution had begun. Benjamin Franklin was a new addition to the delegation, along with John Hancock. Another reason why the delegates decided they had to meet was that the English government was attempting to arrest the patriot leaders, and something had to be done about it. King George III had not consented to lift the "Intolerable" Acts, and most colonists had decided to act.
The Continental Congress decided that it was time for America to have it's own military. Because of his experience in the French and Indian War, George Washington was appointed to lead the new army, the Continental Army. As a final attempt of reconcilliation with the crown, the Continental Congress extended the Olive Branch Petition, written by John Dickinson, which outlined their hopes of future connection. When the king refused, there were no further attempts for peace. The Second Continental Congress assumed all the authority of a national government, accept for that of raising and lowering taxes. They created the Declaration of Independence, written and signed by various members of the delegation, the Constitution, and also the Articles of Confederation, which was ratified three and a half years after it was written. |