First Continental Congress

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First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen British

Kingdom of Great Britain

The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a country in North-West Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1801....
North America

North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
n colonies that met on September 5, 1774, in Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a U.S. state located in the Northeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic States regions of the United States....
, early in the American Revolution

American Revolution

The American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies of North America overthrew the governance of the British Empire and then rejected the British monarchy to become the sovereign United States of America....
. Called in response to the passage of the Coercive Acts by the British Parliament

Parliament of Great Britain

The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Act of Union 1707 by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland....
, the Congress was attended by 56 members appointed by the legislatures of twelve of the Thirteen Colonies

Thirteen Colonies

The Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris recognized the independence of the original thirteen United States of America in 1783....
, the exception being the Province of Georgia

Province of Georgia

The Province of Georgia was one of the Southern colonies in British North America. It was the last of the Thirteen original colonies established by Kingdom of Great Britain in what later became the United States....
, which did not send delegates. The Congress met briefly to consider options, an economic boycott

Boycott

A boycott is a form of consumer activism involving the act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with someone or some other organization as an expression of protest, usually of politics reasons....
of British trade, publish a list of rights and grievances, and petition King George

George III of the United Kingdom

George III was Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death....
for redress of those grievances.

The Congress also called for another Continental Congress

Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
in the event that their petition was unsuccessful in halting enforcement of the Intolerable Acts

Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts or the Coercive Acts are names used to describe a series of laws passed by the Parliament of Great Britain in 1774 relating to Britain's colonies in North America....
.

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Encyclopedia

The First Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen British

Kingdom of Great Britain

The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a country in North-West Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1801....
North America

North America

Pennsylvania

American Revolution

Parliament of Great Britain

Thirteen Colonies

Province of Georgia

Boycott

George III of the United Kingdom

Continental Congress

Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts or the Coercive Acts are names used to describe a series of laws passed by the Parliament of Great Britain in 1774 relating to Britain's colonies in North America....
. Their appeal to the Crown had no effect, and so the Second Continental Congress

Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that met beginning in May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after shooting in the American Revolutionary War had begun....
was convened the following year to organize the defense of the colonies at the onset of the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , also known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Thirteen Colonies on the North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers....
.

Background

Convention

The Congress met from 5 September to 26 October 1774. From 5 September through 21 October, Peyton Randolph

Peyton Randolph

Peyton Randolph was a planter and public official from the Colony of Virginia. He served as Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses, chairman of the Virginia Conventions, and President of the Continental Congress....
presided over the proceedings; Henry Middleton

Henry Middleton

Henry Middleton of South Carolina was the second President of the Continental Congress of the Continental Congress from October 22 1774, until Peyton Randolph was able to resume his duties briefly beginning on May 10, 1775....
took over as President of the Congress

President of the Continental Congress

The President of the Continental Congress was the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, the convention of delegates that emerged as the first national government of the United States during the American Revolution....
for the last few days, from 22 October to 26 October. Charles Thomson

Charles Thomson

File:CharlesThomson.jpgCharles Thomson was a Patriot leader in Philadelphia during the American Revolution and the secretary of the Continental Congress throughout its existence....
, leader of Philadelphia Sons of Liberty

Sons of Liberty

The Sons of Liberty was a secret organization of Patriot which originated in the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution. Kingdom of Great Britain authorities and their supporters known as Loyalist considered the Sons of Liberty as seditious rebels, referring to them as "Sons of Violence" and "Sons of Iniquity." Patriots attacked t...
, was selected to be Secretary of the Continental Congress.

Galloway's Plan of Union

Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry was a prominent figure in the American Revolution, known and remembered for his "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" speech. Along with Samuel Adams and Thomas Paine, he is remembered as one of the most influential advocates of the American Revolution and Republicanism in the United States, especially in his denunciations of c...
already considered government dissolved, and was seeking a new system. Pennsylvania delegate Joseph Galloway

Joseph Galloway

Joseph Galloway was an Colonial America Loyalist during the American Revolution, after serving as delegate to the First Continental Congress from Pennsylvania....
sought reconciliation with Britain. He put forth a "Plan of Union

Galloway's Plan of Union

Galloway's Plan of Union was put forward in the First Continental Congress of 1774. Joseph Galloway was a Pennsylvania delegate who wanted to keep the colonies in the British Empire....
", which suggested an American legislative body be formed, with some authority, and whose consent would be required for imperial measures. John Jay

John Jay

John Jay was an United States politician, statesman, Patriot , diplomat, a Founding Fathers of the United States, President of the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1779 and, from 1789 to 1795, the first Chief Justice of the United States....
, Edward Rutledge

Edward Rutledge

Edward Rutledge , was an USA politician and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He later served as governor of South Carolina....
and other conservatives supported Galloway's plan. (Galloway would later join the Loyalists

Loyalist (American Revolution)

Loyalists were Thirteen Colonies who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during and after the American Revolutionary War. They were often referred to as Tories, Royalists, or King's Men by the Patriot , those that supported the American cause....
).

Accomplishments

The Congress had two primary accomplishments. The Association was a compact among the colonies to boycott British goods beginning on 1 December 1774. The West Indies were threatened with a boycott unless the islands agreed to non importation of British goods. Imports from Britain dropped by 97 percent in 1775, compared with the previous year. Committees of observation and inspection were to be formed in each colony for enforcement of the Association. The entire colony's Houses of Assembly approved the proceedings of the congress with the exception of New York

Province of New York

The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
.

If the “Intolerable Acts” were not repealed, the colonies would also cease exports to Britain after September 10 1775. The boycott was successfully implemented, but its potential for altering British colonial policy was cut off by the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that met beginning in May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after shooting in the American Revolutionary War had begun....
to meet on 10 May 1775. In addition to the colonies which had sent delegates to the First Continental Congress, letters of invitation were sent to Quebec

Province of Quebec (1763-1791)

The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Kingdom of Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada, New France by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France....
, Saint John's Island

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is a Canada Provinces and territories of Canada consisting of an island of the same name. The Maritimes is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population ....
, Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is a Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada located on Canada's southeastern coast. It is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada....
, Georgia

Province of Georgia

East Florida

East Florida was originally a part of Spanish Florida. Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris , which ended the Seven Years' War, Spain ceded all of its territory east and southeast of the Mississippi River to the Kingdom of Great Britain....
, and West Florida

West Florida

West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history....
. None of these sent delegates to the opening of the second Congress, though a delegation from Georgia arrived the following July.

List of delegates

#	Name	Colony	Notes
1		New Hampshire Province of New Hampshire The Province of New Hampshire was a British overseas territories organized on October 7, 1691, during the period of British colonization of the Americas....
2		New Hampshire Province of New Hampshire The Province of New Hampshire was a British overseas territories organized on October 7, 1691, during the period of British colonization of the Americas....
3		Massachusetts Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a British overseas territories chartered October 7, 1691 in North America by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland....
4		Massachusetts Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a British overseas territories chartered October 7, 1691 in North America by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland....
5		Massachusetts Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a British overseas territories chartered October 7, 1691 in North America by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland....
6		Massachusetts Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a British overseas territories chartered October 7, 1691 in North America by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland....
7		Rhode Island Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Providence Plantation was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams , a theologian, nonconformist, and linguist on land gifted by the Narragansett sachem Canonicus....
8		Rhode Island Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Providence Plantation was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams , a theologian, nonconformist, and linguist on land gifted by the Narragansett sachem Canonicus....
9		Connecticut Connecticut Colony The Colony of Connecticut was an English colony that became the U.S. state of Connecticut. Originally known as the River Colony, it was organized on March 3, 1636 as a haven for Puritan noblemen....
10		Connecticut Connecticut Colony The Colony of Connecticut was an English colony that became the U.S. state of Connecticut. Originally known as the River Colony, it was organized on March 3, 1636 as a haven for Puritan noblemen....
11		Connecticut Connecticut Colony The Colony of Connecticut was an English colony that became the U.S. state of Connecticut. Originally known as the River Colony, it was organized on March 3, 1636 as a haven for Puritan noblemen....
12		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
13		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
14		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
15		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
16		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
17		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
18		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
19		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
20		New York Province of New York The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
21		New Jersey Province of New Jersey The Province of New Jersey was an English colony that existed within the boundaries of the current U.S. state of New Jersey from 1674 until 1702....
22		New Jersey Province of New Jersey The Province of New Jersey was an English colony that existed within the boundaries of the current U.S. state of New Jersey from 1674 until 1702....
23		New Jersey Province of New Jersey The Province of New Jersey was an English colony that existed within the boundaries of the current U.S. state of New Jersey from 1674 until 1702....
24		New Jersey Province of New Jersey The Province of New Jersey was an English colony that existed within the boundaries of the current U.S. state of New Jersey from 1674 until 1702....
25		New Jersey Province of New Jersey The Province of New Jersey was an English colony that existed within the boundaries of the current U.S. state of New Jersey from 1674 until 1702....
26		Pennsylvania Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 by King Charles II of England....
27		Pennsylvania Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 by King Charles II of England....
28		Pennsylvania Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 by King Charles II of England....
29		Pennsylvania Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 by King Charles II of England....
30		Pennsylvania Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 by King Charles II of England....
31		Pennsylvania Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 by King Charles II of England....
32		Pennsylvania Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 by King Charles II of England....
33		Pennsylvania Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681 by King Charles II of England....
34		Delaware Delaware Colony Delaware Colony was an English colony in North America. It was part of the Middle Colonies....
35		Delaware Delaware Colony Delaware Colony was an English colony in North America. It was part of the Middle Colonies....
36		Delaware Delaware Colony Delaware Colony was an English colony in North America. It was part of the Middle Colonies....
37		Maryland Province of Maryland The Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies in establishing the United States and became the U.S....
38		Maryland Province of Maryland The Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies in establishing the United States and became the U.S....
39		Maryland Province of Maryland The Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies in establishing the United States and became the U.S....
40		Maryland Province of Maryland The Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies in establishing the United States and became the U.S....
41		Maryland Province of Maryland The Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies in establishing the United States and became the U.S....
42		Virginia
43		Virginia
44		Virginia
45		Virginia
46		Virginia
47		Virginia
48		Virginia
49		North Carolina Province of North Carolina The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietors. The province later became the U.S....
50		North Carolina Province of North Carolina The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietors. The province later became the U.S....
51		North Carolina Province of North Carolina The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietors. The province later became the U.S....
52		South Carolina Province of South Carolina The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
53		South Carolina Province of South Carolina The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
54		South Carolina Province of South Carolina The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
55		South Carolina Province of South Carolina The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
56		South Carolina Province of South Carolina The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....

First Continental Congress

Background

Convention

Galloway's Plan of Union

Accomplishments

List of delegates

See also

Primary sources

External links