The First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress was held on September 5, 1774, at Philadelphia's Carpenter's Hall to protest the Intolerable Acts. Benjamin Franklin wanted to hold this meeting earlier, but because the Boston Port was closed from the Boston Tea Party, not many people supported it. When they actually got started, twelve out of the thirteen colonies (Georgia did not) sent some representatives. The sessions were held until late October. All the Americans who supported this idea wanted to make all their wrongs, right, so they could hold a hearing in London, England. The point of this was to stop the native Americans from killing them during the French Indian War.

The most prominent people out of the fifty-five people who showed up were George Washington, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Ray, and John Dickinson. These people made their living through trade, farming and law, and were very high up in the social status in their country, for they worked extremely hard.

These Congress men voted to cut off trade with Great Britain unless Parliament abolished the Intolerable Acts. By the time the whole Continental Congress was done, Britain and the colonies had begun to grow hostile with each other.

French Indian War: The French and Indian War was held from 1755-1760. It was a war in North America between France and Britain, which were both aided by Indian tribes.

Proclamation Act: The Proclamation Act was an official announcement from the British government that ended all settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Stamp Act: The Stamp Act was a law passed in 1765 by British Parliament that forced people to pay tax on items such as newspapers and legal documents.

Sugar Act: The Sugar Act reduced the rate of tax on molasses, while Greenville took measures that the duty be severely forced. The act also listed more foreign merchandise to be taxed including sugar, certain wines, coffee, pimiento, cambric and printed calico, and further, regulated the export of lumber and iron. (Book)