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First Continental Congress

Definition

The First Continental Congress was a meeting held between September 5 and October 26, 1774 in Philadelphia. It brought together delegates from twelve of America's thirteen colonies (Georgia did not participate) as a response against Britain's Coercive Acts.

Analogy

Think about when your school decides on new rules without student input. In response, representatives from each grade level gather together for a big meeting where they discuss these unfair policies - this is similar to what happened at First Continental Congress.

Related terms

Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts): These were punitive laws passed by British Parliament in 1774 after Boston Tea Party meant to punish Massachusetts colonists for their defiance.

Second Continental Congress: This was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting in 1775, during the American Revolution. It declared America's independence from Britain.

Declaration of Rights and Grievances: A document written by First Continental Congress in 1774 as a response to British Parliament's Coercive Acts.