� � Occurred in 1774

� They met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

� 56 delegates

� Every colony was represented except Georgia

1st Continental Congress

� Congress’s Discussion

John Dickenson Patrick Henry

Make Peace with Britain Need to fight Britain; it’s unavoidable

� � Write 1-2 sentences about what you

think the colonists should do

� Write 1-2 sentences why you think they should do that

What do you think the Colonists should do?

� � In the end Congress reached a compromise

1.  Boycott British goods 2.  Local militia needs to be ready to fight

� Sent King George III the Declaration of Rights � If King George III did not agree to terms, they

would meet again in May 1775

Congress’s Decision

� � Minutemen: local militia members, ready to

fight on minutes notice � Thomas Gage took away the Minutemen’s

weapons

� Put them in Concord, 20 miles West of Boston

Minutemen

� � British came to Concord looking for weapons; colonists

had hid them

� Paul Revere and William Dawes sounded the warning that the British soldiers were coming

� “Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have war, let it begin here!”

� No one knows who fired the first shot � Why do you think it is called “the shot heard ‘round the

world”?

“Shot Heard Around the World”

� � Minutemen fired on British soldiers from behind

trees and buildings

� Redcoats: red uniforms � British soldiers uniforms made for easy targets � How did people respond?

� Shock and Anger

Leaving Concord

� � Met again in 1775 � Wrote and sent Olive Branch Petition

� Wanted to AVOID war

� Claimed LOYAL to England � Wanted King to protect colonial rights � King rejected it!

� Next move – Declaration of Independence

2nd Continental Congress

� � http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-9pDZMRCpQ

No More Kings