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First Continental Congress
Called in response to the Intolerable Acts, 12 delegates from each colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia, PA from September 5- October 26, 1774. They voted to cut off colonial trade with Britian and attemped to define Amercians rights and place limits on Parliaments power and made a provision for the 2nd Continental Congress for the following May if things did not improve.
http://kids.britannica.com/elementary/art-172606/George- -
Second Continetal Congres
The Continetal Congress met again on May 10th and contined to meet until March of 1781. Their first order of business was to create an army to fight against the British. They acted like a government because they sent people to foreign countries, they had their own moeny, they got loans and raised an army. The congress was led by John Hancock.
Thomas Jefferson and Ben Frnaklin also were part of the Congress.
http://www.topsailnewsonline.com/?cat=6&paged=194 -
Olive Branch Petition
John Dickinson drafted the Olive Branch Petition which was then adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress on July 5th, 1775. They submitted it to the King on July 8th. It was their attempt to assert the rights of the colonist while still trying to maintain loyalty to the crown. King George refused to even read the petition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_Branch_Petition -
Prohibitory Act
The Prohibitory Act " declared and provided for a naval blockade against American ports." The king felt that it was necessary to cut off all trade with the colonies. The colonist reacted by seizing British ships. Britian felt like this had to be done in response to the colonists going against them. The colonies were now enemies and would be treated as enemies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibitory_Act
http://www.myhistro.com/story/what-caused-the-american-revolution/24740#!american-prohi -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence announced that the 13 colonies regared themselves as indpendent states and no longer part of Britain. The Declaration is a formal explanation of why congress had voted on July 2nd to declare independence from Great Britian. It is the foundng document of the American political government. Thomas Jeferson wrote the orginal draft in June 1776.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence
