Continental Congress



         


The Continental Congress was the federal legislature of the Thirteen Colonies and later of the United States from 1774 to 1789, a period that included the American Revolutionary War and the Articles of Confederation. There were two Continental Congresses.

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The First Continental Congress

The Stamp Act Congress, formed by colonials to respond to the unpopular Stamp Act taxes, was the direct precursor of the Continental Congress, which was itself formed largely in response to the so-called Intolerable Acts. The First Continental Congress was planned through the permanent committees of correspondence, which kept the local colonial governments in communication with one another as their common opposition to Britain grew. It lasted only from September 5, 1774, to October 26, 1774, i Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Peyton Randolph served as the first President of the Continental Congress.

One of the major accomplishments of the First Continental Congress was the drafting of the Articles of Association on October 20. The Articles formed a compact among twelve of the thirteen colonies to boycott British goods, and to cease exports to Britain as well if the "Intolerable Acts" were not repealed. The boycott was successfully implemented, but its potential at altering British colonial policy was cut off by the outbreak of open fighting in 1775.

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The Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress ran from May 10, 1775, to March 2, 1789, but met in different places at different times. (See the external link below for the daily records of its proceedings.)

In 1775 the Congress began to support actual rebellion. They created the Continental Army and issued currency, (in the form of the Continental Dollar).

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Dates and Places of Sessions

First Congress:

Second Congress:

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See also

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