The Continental Congresses What were the differences??

What was the problem?  The extent of British authority over the colonies was the most important question, even more than the taxes.

Meeting to discuss  At the request of colonial assemblies of Massachusetts and Virginia, all but Georgia’s colonial assembly agreed to select a group of delegates to attend a continental congress authorized to communicate with the king on behalf of the now united colonies.

First Continental Congress  Met in Philadelphia  Sept 5 to Oct 26, 1774  56 delegates from 12 colonies  Goal was to iron out the differences with the king of England  Met in Philadelphia  Sept 5 to Oct 26, 1774  56 delegates from 12 colonies  Goal was to iron out the differences with the king of England

Results  By October, they agreed to oppose the Coercive Acts and to establish a formal organization to boycott British goods  Drafted a Declaration of Rights and Resolves, calling for colonial rights of petition and assembly, trial by peers, freedom from a standing army, and selection of representative councils to levy taxes  By October, they agreed to oppose the Coercive Acts and to establish a formal organization to boycott British goods  Drafted a Declaration of Rights and Resolves, calling for colonial rights of petition and assembly, trial by peers, freedom from a standing army, and selection of representative councils to levy taxes

What if the king doesn’t agree?  If the king did not agree to their demands, they would meet again in Philadelphia in May 1775.

Guess what…  He refused!  A second continental congress was to meet in May  Fighting broke out before, on April 19 at Lexington and Concord: the “shot heard round the world”  Eight colonial soldiers died, and 16,000 British troops took Boston  He refused!  A second continental congress was to meet in May  Fighting broke out before, on April 19 at Lexington and Concord: the “shot heard round the world”  Eight colonial soldiers died, and 16,000 British troops took Boston

Second Continental Congress  May 10, 1775  Delegates were united by their hostility towards Britain  To avoid conflict, the Congress signed the Olive Branch Petition on July 5  Asked King George to end hostilities  He again rejected it; sent 20,000 troops to stop the rebellion  May 10, 1775  Delegates were united by their hostility towards Britain  To avoid conflict, the Congress signed the Olive Branch Petition on July 5  Asked King George to end hostilities  He again rejected it; sent 20,000 troops to stop the rebellion

George Washington!  As a precautionary move, the Congress appointed the first GW as commander in chief of the Continental Army

Thomas Paine  Common Sense: a pamphlet forcefully arguing for independence from Britain  Paine denounced the corrupt British monarchy and offered reasons to break with Britain  Read throughout the colonies, and people were all on board  One out of 13 colonists read it: a huge number then!  Common Sense: a pamphlet forcefully arguing for independence from Britain  Paine denounced the corrupt British monarchy and offered reasons to break with Britain  Read throughout the colonies, and people were all on board  One out of 13 colonists read it: a huge number then!

This led to…  Virginia was the first call for independence  There was a vote at the Congress to do this, and six colonies were on board: the rest needed time to decide  In the meantime, one of the other tasks was to write a Declaration of Independence…  Thomas Jefferson of VA was selected the chair for drafting a Declaration; Franklin and John Adams are also a part of this  Virginia was the first call for independence  There was a vote at the Congress to do this, and six colonies were on board: the rest needed time to decide  In the meantime, one of the other tasks was to write a Declaration of Independence…  Thomas Jefferson of VA was selected the chair for drafting a Declaration; Franklin and John Adams are also a part of this