Question

What actions did the first and second continental congresses take?

Answer 1

Hint: A convention of delegates from each of the thirteen American colonies was held by the Continental Congress. During the revolutionary war, these delegates acted as the government.

Complete answer:
After the passage of the Intolerable Acts, the Continental Congress was convened. This is the legislation that England enacted during the Boston Tea Party to gain power over its American colonies. By the congress of their respective colony, delegates were picked.

In 1774 there was the First Continental Congress. They voted to impose a boycott of British products by the 'Safety Committees.' In 1775 they decided to meet again to consider their reactions to England. Britain opposed the Intolerable Actions between the two Congresses, although the boycott was incredibly successful. British forces were deployed in April 1775 in Lexington, Massachusetts to seize guns stockpiled. The Patriots heard about and organised the soldiers' movements (from the famous journey of Paul Revere). In Lexington and surrounding Concord British and Patriot, troops fought. John Adams, Patrick Henry and George Washington became members of the First Continental Congress. Peyton Randolph was the Chairman of the First Congress.

The Second Congress assumed a government's regular duties, selected ambassadors, issued paper money, increased the conscription of the Continental Army and appointed generals who led the army. But congressional powers were also very small. In May 1775 after the war at Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress convened for the first time. Congress took over the administration of the war as a result. John Hancock was in charge of the Second Continental Congress. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were among the other new candidates. It was much more like a country sending foreign diplomats, printing their own currency, obtaining credits and collecting an army.

They became a forthcoming administration for the next two years for the independent United States. Here are what they did most importantly:
- George Washington was named as the General of the "Continental Army" and taxation authorised to help fund the troops.
- They continued to send diplomats to France in their war effort to get assistance.
- They submitted to Britain (designed to be refused), an "Olive Branch Petition" (peace offer), which rejected colonial residents, inspirations them to join the cause.
- The Independence Declaration was signed, assuming it had not been until the beginning of the war until July 1776.

Note:
- During the first two years of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress was the ruling authority under which American colonial governments organised their opposition to Brit rule.
- At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the second congress served as a de-facto central government with troops, doctrine, negotiators and requests such as the Declaration of Causes and Need to Take Arms and the Olive Branch petition.