First+Continental+Congress

= = The First Continental Congress = = In Philadelphia 1774 a famous quote was heard from the mouth of Patrick Henry

" The distinctions between New Englanders and Virginians are no more. I am not a Virginian but an American." ([|www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/birth/1bc1a.html])

This quote was heard at the First Continental Congress. This congress came together to stop the Coercive Acts, which are also known as the Intoelerable Acts. They also discussed "The Suffolk Resolves." The most important resolution from "The Suffolk Resolves" was "... called for the army of a Colonial Militia..." ([|www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/birth/1bc1a.html] ) They wanted fair treatment more then independance. The Suffolk Resolves:


 * "proclaimed the Coercive Acts to be unconstitutional and void; officials charged with the enforcement of these illegal acts were called upon to resign
 * urged Massachusetts to establish a separate free state until the Coercive Acts were repealed
 * suggested that future tax collections be retained by the new Massachusetts government and not passed along to British officials
 * called for the creation and enforcement of a boycott of British goods and trade with Britain
 * advised the people of Massachusetts to appoint militia officers and commence arming their local forces
 * warned General [|Thomas Gage] that efforts to arrest citizens on political charges would result in the detention of the arresting officers
 * announced that subjects no longer owe loyalty to a king who violates their rights ([|www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1231.html] )."

According to Bob Schulz, "the purpose of their assembly was two-fold: First, they wanted to establish the fact that their central government was rapidly degenerating into an unrestrained tyranny. After 150 years, the authorities of all of “Great Britain,” had begun to violate the Rights of the Englishmen in the colonies. The first gathering in Philadelphia seemed a necessity after eleven years of earnest effort to express their concerns to the government through the given legal right to Petition for Redress (remedy) of grievances. This long-standing right had been in place and freely exercised since 1215, as the Law given to The People of Britain through the Magna Carta. With government officials refusing to listen or respond to the petitions, the 1774 gathering was a natural, necessary next step in the path to Liberty([|www.wethepeoplefoundation.org/PROJECTS/09-Congress/REPUBLIC-MAG-short-6-11-09.pdf)."]

These were the talented members of the first continental congress:


 * Samuel Adams
 * Peyton Randolph
 * [[image:webkit-fake-url://070C0820-F0AE-47D2-98D6-20B40789A162/image.tiff width="300" height="300" align="right"]]Joseph Galloway
 * William Hooper
 * Stephen Crane
 * Patrick Henry
 * Thomas Miffin
 * George Washington
 * Richard Smith
 * Edward Biddle
 * George Ross
 * Thomas Keane
 * Joseph Hewes
 * Charels Humphreys
 * John Morton
 * Caesar Rodney
 * Richard Bland
 * John Dickinson
 * John Sullivan
 * Eliphalet Dyer
 * R. Caswell
 * Richard Henry Lee
 * William Paca
 * Nathaniel Folsam
 * Robert Treat Paine
 * Samuel Ward
 * Henry Middleton
 * John Adams
 * Matthew Tilghman
 * Samuel Chase
 * Edmund Dendleton [[image:webkit-fake-url://4117C4F1-BFE1-4140-8717-9D5FD5C669DB/image.tiff align="right"]]
 * Thomas Cushing
 * Thomas Lynch
 * John Jay
 * George Readv
 * Thomas Johnson
 * Benjamin Harrison
 * Stephen Hopkins
 * Roger Sherman
 * Christopher Gadsden
 * John Rutledge
 * Edward Rutledge

The president of the first continental congress was Peyton Randolph. Every colony sent a delegate but Georgia. The delegates sent a signed request to the king. It said that they had the right to life and liberty, the right to assemble, and the right of trial by jury. Congress also set a deadline for the parliment to respond. They also stopped most trade with Britain. Finally, they asked the colonies to form militias. Another reason why they came together was to discuss how to respond to Britain because Britain was ruling over them. Some things I want to point out before the first continental congress. The Boston Tea Party, and The French and Indian War. The Continental Congress said that they should form new governments. Then that all American ports were open for everyone BUT Great Britain. Finally that the governments should have NO connection with parliament or the King of England.

Click here to see a video: []

Click here to see a timeline of Patrick Henry's life: [|www.redhill.org/life/default_career.html]

__Bibliography:__

"Freedom is Born." __homeofheroes.com.__ May 29, 2010. .

"First Continental Congress." __ushistory.org.__ June 5, 2010. <http://www.ushistory.org/>.

" The Continental Congress." __socialstudiesforkids.com.__ May 29, 2010. .

" The First Continental Congress." __kidspast.com.__ May 29, 2010. .

Carter, Alden R. Colonies in Revolt. New York: Franklin Watts, 1988

Bliven, Bruce Jr. The American Revolution 1760-1783. New York: Random House,1958