Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, who acted as the Provisional Government for the Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. It included the First and Second Congresses of 1774–1781 and later the Congress of the Confederation of 1781–1789. Until 1785, they met mostly at what is today Independence Hall in Philadelphia, although they moved temporarily during the war.

The First Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia in 1774 because tensions between the colonies and Britain were getting worse, especially after the Intolerable Acts were passed following the Boston Tea Party. They met for about six weeks to try to fix the problems between Britain and the colonies, to protect the rights of colonists, and to agree on a trade embargo against Britain called the Continental Association.

The Second Continental Congress started meeting in 1775 after fighting began in Massachusetts. They sent a peace request to King George III, created the Continental Army, and chose George Washington to lead it. When the king declared the colonies in rebellion after the Battle of Bunker Hill, some members decided that peace with Britain was unlikely and began working to unite the colonies into a new nation. On July 2, 1776, they adopted the Lee Resolution for Independence, and two days later, on July 4, 1776, they approved the Declaration of Independence, declaring the colonies were now independent sovereign states.

The Second Continental Congress acted as the government's leader during most of the Revolutionary War. In 1781, the Articles of Confederation became the nation's first official set of rules, and the Congress became known as the Congress of the Confederation. This group met eight times before ending in 1789, when the 1st United States Congress took over under the new U.S. Constitution. Both the First and Second Continental Congresses usually met in Philadelphia, but during the war, the Second Congress sometimes met in other places. The Congress of Confederation also started in Philadelphia and later moved to New York City, which was the U.S. capital from 1785 to 1790.

History

Background

Further information: American Revolution, Boston Tea Party, and Committees of Correspondence

The idea for the Continental Congress started in 1754 during the French and Indian War. Representatives from seven colonies met in Albany, New York, including Benjamin Franklin, who suggested the colonies work together more closely. Later, as tensions grew with Britain, colonies formed committees to stay connected.

In 1765, Britain passed the Stamp Act, which upset many colonists. Delegates met in New York City to protest and sent a document to Britain asking for fair treatment. The Stamp Act was eventually removed. More laws from Britain led to more protests, including the famous Boston Tea Party in 1773.

First Continental Congress

Main article: First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774. Delegates from twelve colonies came together to discuss their problems with Britain. They agreed to stop buying British goods and asked the king to treat them more fairly. Some wanted to stay with Britain, while others began thinking about independence.

Second Continental Congress

Main article: Second Continental Congress

Further information: American Revolutionary War and United States Declaration of Independence

The Second Continental Congress started in May 1775, after fighting had begun. It acted like a government, organizing armies and making important decisions. In 1776, it approved the Declaration of Independence, written mainly by Thomas Jefferson. The Congress continued leading the new nation until 1781, creating committees to manage the war and forming the Articles of Confederation to unite the states.

Confederation Congress

Main article: Congress of the Confederation

Further information: Constitution of the United States, Annapolis Convention (1786), Philadelphia Convention of 1787, and Treaty of Paris (1783)

The Articles of Confederation became the law of the land on March 1, 1781, after all the Thirteen Colonies agreed to it. The Second Continental Congress then turned into the Congress of the Confederation, a group made up of representatives from each state. Its main goal was to protect the power of each state.

The Confederation Congress could declare war, make treaties, and help settle arguments between states. It could also borrow or print money, but it could not collect taxes. It worked hard to support the United States during the last part of the Revolutionary War but lost some of its power after the war ended.

Two big things the Confederation Congress did were passing the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, which set rules for new states west of Pennsylvania and north of the Ohio River, and organizing the Annapolis Convention in 1786. This led to the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, where leaders worked on improving the government. When the Constitution of the United States replaced the Articles of Confederation, the Confederation Congress was replaced by the United States Congress.

Organization

The Continental Congress was organized differently from the British Parliament or local colonial assemblies. It was more influenced by the 1765 Stamp Act Congress. Nine delegates from that earlier congress attended the First Continental Congress in 1774 and helped shape its structure.

The Congress took on important duties usually handled by the British government, like foreign and military affairs, but it could not tax or control trade. Each state had one vote, and decisions were made by voting en bloc. Before voting, each state discussed the issue among its delegates. The majority decision within a state became the state's vote. If the vote was tied, it was counted as divided and not counted.

Delegates chose a president to lead meetings and keep records. After the colonies declared independence in 1776, this president acted as the head of the central government, though the role was more honorable than powerful. The Congress also had a secretary, scribe, doorman, messenger, and a Chaplain to help with its work.

Legacy

People have debated for a long time about how good the Continental Congress was at getting things done. Some, like General George Washington, thought it would eventually do right by the soldiers, even if it moved slowly. Others, like James Madison, pointed out that the Congress lacked the power to make people follow its rules, which made it weak.

Some historians say the Congress failed because it had no strong leaders or clear rules. But others argue that, despite its slow pace, the Continental Congress did many great things. It helped lead the fight for independence, created new kinds of governments, and knew when to change itself to make things better.

Timeline

First and Second Continental Congress

In 1774, leaders from the American colonies met in Philadelphia at Carpenter's Hall for the First Continental Congress. They shared their concerns about British rules and passed important documents like the Declaration and Resolves and the Continental Association. They also signed a petition to the king, hoping for better treatment.

When fighting began in 1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. They created the Continental Army and chose George Washington to lead it. They also made the Continental Navy and Marines. In 1776, they adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring the colonies free from Britain. Over the next years, they moved to different cities, including Baltimore, Lancaster, and York, and worked on important documents like the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. By 1789, the Continental Congress ended, and the new United States government began.