Colonial Demands During the First Continental Congress

Colonial Demands During the First Continental Congress

In 1774, the British Parliament passed a series of laws collectively known as the Intolerable Acts, aiming to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party by closing its ports, installing a British general as governor, unilaterally changing the colony's charter, and canceling certain rights, including the right to hold meetings. These harsh measures sparked widespread opposition across the colonies, leading 12 of the 13 colonies to send representatives to the First Continental Congress.

From September 5 to October 26, 1774, the First Continental Congress took place at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. Attended by delegates representing each colony except Georgia, the primary objective was to coordinate a united front against the Intolerable Acts and establish a collective strategy for resistance. They adopted the Articles of Association, which declared that if the Intolerable Acts were not repealed by December 1, 1774, a boycott of British goods would commence in the colonies.

The Congress also published a series of documents, including a Declaration and Resolves that expressed the colonies' objections to the Intolerable Acts and presented additional grievances against the British Crown. Key resolutions included:

• Right to Life, Liberty, and Property: Asserting that no colonial inhabitants had ceded the right to dispose of their lives, liberty, or property without consent to any foreign power.
• Natural Born Subjects: Recognizing that the original settlers were entitled to all the rights, liberties, and immunities of free and natural-born subjects within the realm of England.
• British Constitution: Affirming that the founding principles of the English Constitution protected these rights and liberties.
• Freedom from Taxation Without Representation: Upholding the principle that taxation without representation was unacceptable.
• Local Circumstances: Recognizing that the ability to exercise these rights varied depending on local conditions.

These declarations served as a rallying cry for the colonies, emphasizing their attachment to British values while asserting their autonomy and right to self-governance.