The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was created in 1774 in response to the Intolerable Acts. The delegates met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from September 5, 1774 to October 26, 1774. All of colonies, except Georgia, attended sending a total of fifty six delegates
The Continental Congress had passed three important resolutions endorsing the Suffolk Resolves, approving an economic boycott against Great Britain, and adopting a petition to the king detailing colonial rights and grievances.
The Suffolk Resolves stated that the Intolerable Acts were unconstitutional so they should not be obeyed. This urged people to form a government of their own. The Continental Congress accepted resistance, but tried to avoid direct confrontation with British troops in Massachusetts.
The Continental Congress resolved to stop imports from England, Ireland, and the West Indies. In order to emphasize this, the congress formed the Continental Association.This association executed the non-importation, non-consumption, and non-exportation agreement. They instructed new local committees of safety to be elected to oversee implementation and enforcement of these boycotts.
The Continental Congress finally adopted a petition to send the King of England which contained their rights and grievances. When writing this petition delegates at the Congress debated on whether the colonies should base their grievances on natural laws or the British constitution. Eventually the delegated favored the latter option. Another question that was on the mind of the colonists was how much authority and power should the colonies concede to Parliament. Delegates had agreed that Parliament should not have exclusive power of legislation when regarding the cases of taxation. They also agreed that colonies assemblies should assent to the acts of parliament concerning regulation of external commerce for the general good of the British empire, and taxation for the purpose of raising revenue should only be acceptable if the colonial assemblies consented.
The delegates concluded with a set of resolutions which set forth rights to life, liberty, property, and the rights of assemblies to tax and make local laws. This congress set the tone for future resistance to the British rule and political practice in the colonies. The Continental Congress moved the quarrel with England from just taxation to whether Parliament had the right to make laws for America. This made future inter-colonial cooperation and unified resistance possible.
The Continental Congress had passed three important resolutions endorsing the Suffolk Resolves, approving an economic boycott against Great Britain, and adopting a petition to the king detailing colonial rights and grievances.
The Suffolk Resolves stated that the Intolerable Acts were unconstitutional so they should not be obeyed. This urged people to form a government of their own. The Continental Congress accepted resistance, but tried to avoid direct confrontation with British troops in Massachusetts.
The Continental Congress resolved to stop imports from England, Ireland, and the West Indies. In order to emphasize this, the congress formed the Continental Association.This association executed the non-importation, non-consumption, and non-exportation agreement. They instructed new local committees of safety to be elected to oversee implementation and enforcement of these boycotts.
The Continental Congress finally adopted a petition to send the King of England which contained their rights and grievances. When writing this petition delegates at the Congress debated on whether the colonies should base their grievances on natural laws or the British constitution. Eventually the delegated favored the latter option. Another question that was on the mind of the colonists was how much authority and power should the colonies concede to Parliament. Delegates had agreed that Parliament should not have exclusive power of legislation when regarding the cases of taxation. They also agreed that colonies assemblies should assent to the acts of parliament concerning regulation of external commerce for the general good of the British empire, and taxation for the purpose of raising revenue should only be acceptable if the colonial assemblies consented.
The delegates concluded with a set of resolutions which set forth rights to life, liberty, property, and the rights of assemblies to tax and make local laws. This congress set the tone for future resistance to the British rule and political practice in the colonies. The Continental Congress moved the quarrel with England from just taxation to whether Parliament had the right to make laws for America. This made future inter-colonial cooperation and unified resistance possible.