1st continental congress

Question 1

when was the first continental congress

Answer 1

september 1774

Question 2

where did the first continental congress meet

Answer 2

philadephia

Question 3

how many delegates were present at the continental congress

Answer 3

56 delegates were present
* they were men who had played important/prominent local roles in opposition to britain
* john adams believed this was divided equally between radicals who favoured severing ties with Brtiain, and moderates who faboured retaining them and sought reconciliation
* radicals= richard henry lee of VA
* moderates= john dickinson of Pennsylvania

Question 4

what did the first continental congress meet to do?

Answer 4

met to consider a joint response from the colonies to the coercive acts (the intolerable acts) passed by parliament in 1774. convened in response to the intolerable ats- focused on addressing colonial grievances to british policies.

Question 5

what did the first continental congress do?

Answer 5

• september- endorsed the suffolk resolves
• suffolk resolves declared the coercive acts null and void
• called for MA to arm for defence
• congress also called for a non-importation of british goods, starting on the 1st Dec 1774 unless the coerciev acts were repealed
• a ban on exports to britain would begin in september 1775
• also called for colonists to form a Continental Association so that non-importation would be a united effort

Question 6

why was it so significant

Answer 6

• directly addressed the ideological issue of taxation without representation, which concerned many colonists
• arguable that it was important in bringing about the declaration of independence
• decision to endorse suffolk resolves brought the colonies closer to open rebellion, leading to warfare and the signing of the declaration of indpendence.

Question 7

what was the weakness of the first continental congress that meant it did not sever ties

Answer 7

• october 1774- agreed on a Declaration of Rights and Grievances
• acknowledged allegiance to the crown
• declaration denied that the colonies were subject to parliaments authority
• congress declared that it could not raise revenue from them without their consent
• proclaimed the rights of each colonial assembly to determine the need for troops in each province

Question 8

why was the 1st continental congress significant/not significant?

Answer 8

• congress had no legislative authority
• did provide a useful unifying purpose