250th Anniversary Independence Celebrations – First Continental Congress

Collectively, the “Intolerable Acts” were intended to get the colony of Massachusetts to cease its resistance to British rule. They were intended to isolate Massachusetts from the other colonies. They failed. Additionally, though the acts were directed at Massachusetts, the other colonies viewed the acts as excessive and feared they could be applied to other colonies. The other colonies viewed the acts as a violation of their rights and colonial charters.

Instead of punishing and isolating Boston, the other colonies came to the aid of Massachusetts, which dramatically lessened the effects on Boston. The “Intolerable Acts” convinced even more colonists to turn against unlimited British rule.

The “Intolerable Acts” encouraged the American colonists to establish “committees of correspondence”, which were emergency provisional governments in all 13 colonies, to respond to British policies. The committees exchanged information, ideas, and debated how to respond to the British government. It was through the committees of correspondence that delegates were selected to attend the First Continental Congress.

The First Continental Congress was intended to present a united front to the British government from all of the colonies. It was the first version of a government entity which represented the interests of all the colonies—strength in numbers. Prior to this time, each colony was considered by the British government as a separate entity.

The First Continental Congress met on September 5, 1774, in Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia. Delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies were present. Georgia, which was fighting a Native American uprising and needed British military supplies, did not send representatives. The purpose of the First Continental Congress was to organize the colonial resistance to the “Intolerable Acts”. The Congress was structured with an emphasis on the equality of participants and to promote free debate. The delegates included numerous leaders who were instrumental in the formation of the United States of America.

Discussions were held to determine the best way to present a unified front to the British government and resolve the problem of the “Intolerable Acts”. After considerable discussion, the First Continental Congress issued a “Declaration of Rights”, which confirmed the colonies loyalty to the British Crown but opposing the British Parliament’s right to tax the colonies without representatives of the colonies being members of the British Parliament.

The Congress also issued the “Articles of Association”, which called on the colonies to cease importing goods from the British Isles beginning December 1, 1774, if the “Intolerable Acts were not repealed. The First Continental Congress also declared if the British government failed to redress the colonist’s grievances in a timely manner, that the Congress would reconvene on May 10, 1775, and the colonies would cease exporting goods to Britain on September 10, 1775.

After passing these measures, the First Continental Congress disbanded on October 26, 1774. One more step toward the start of the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, and the formation of the United States of America.

Copies of the Almont Historical Society’s various books can be purchased by contacting Jim Wade at 810-796-3355 or jrwade49@ gmail.com or stopping by the museum on Saturdays from 1-4 p.m.