What did delegates of the second continental congress debate in may 1775?
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There was mixed feelings about what should be done about the continued hostile acts of the British Parliament. Some delegates wanted immediate independence no matter what the cost. Others were still loyal to King George III and even though they did not like the British taxation without representation, they wanted to avoid an all-out war with England. Show
They finally decided to go slowly and not make any drastic moves that might start a major war. On the other hand, they also felt they needed to protect themselves, so they established the Continental Army and named George Washington as Commander-in-Chief. George Washington was officially commission on June 17, 1775, the same day as the Battle of Bunker (Breed's ) Hill. They also passed a "Declaration of Causes of Taking up Arms," which named England as an aggressor and gave the Colonists the right to take up arms against the British. They wanted to tell King George III that they wanted peace. John Dickinson wrote "The Olive Branch Petition" and made suggestions on how to solve the problems. King George would not read it, because in his mind it was an illegal document made by an illegal congress. The Second Continental Congress me all through the Revolutionary War. They made decisions when and where to attack the British and how to protect themselves. They issued paper money and set up a system where the government would borrow money from their citizens and pay it back with interest. They even created a postal system and the first American Navy was formed. There was never any power given to the Congress to levy taxes to finance the war effort. This meant that any support of the Army would come basically from the different colonies or persons who could afford to support them. After King George III officially called the Colonies in rebellion and after Thomas Paine's Common Sense was circulated and read, the Patriots realized there was no way to solve the problems peacefully. They decided to declare independence and they drafted the Declaration of Independence which was adopted and ratified on July 4, 1776. The main problem the Continental Congress had was how to finance the cost of the war. This took a lot of time and they tried different ways to support their Army. Soon the problem of "states rights" came, because even though they wanted to be united as one country, each colony wanted to remain independent and make its own laws. The debate over how the colonies could remain united but keep their individual rights continued. In July 1776 the Articles of Confederation were presented to Congress as a way to define both the central government and the state governments. The Articles passed in 1777, but were not ratified by all the states until 1781. The Second Continental Congress met several months after the First Continental Congress. It used its authority to create an army, declare war on England, print money, sign treaties, and engage in foreign diplomacy. For more information on the First Continental Congress, check out the StudySmarter article! Second Continental Congress DefinitionThe Second Continental Congress was the formal meeting of delegates from the American colonies to form a provisional government together to make decisions about the war with Britain over American independence. Definition: “Continental” means that it had delegates from across the continent and “Congress” means a formal meeting between delegates. That’s where the term “Continental Congress” comes from! Second Continental Congress SignificanceThe Second Continental Congress was significant because it served as the de facto government during one of the most critical times in early American history. The Congress showed that the colonies could come together in unity to fight off a common enemy and work together to build a new country. After the war, the Second Continental Congress shifted into a new kind of provisional government under the Articles of Confederation until the passage of the US Constitution in 1789. “De Facto” is a latin term that means “in fact.” Because the colonies couldn’t form an official government (since they weren’t a country yet!), they operated under the de facto governance of the Second Continental Congress. Second Continental Congress DateThe first meeting of the Second Continental Congress was on May 10, 1775, and remained in operation until 1781 when it shifted to the Congress of the Confederation. Who Attended the Second Continental Congress?Twelve out of thirteen colonies began the Second Continental Congress on May 10, 1775. Georgia was absent from the First and Second Continental Congress but decided to join the other colonies by the time they decided to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Several Founding Fathers were delegates to the Second Continental Congress, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Benjamin Franklin. Second Continental Congress SummaryUnder the First Continental Congress, the colonies still wanted to try to improve their relationship with Britain without going to war. They sent a list of demands, including a reprieve on the excessive taxation, and initiated a boycott of all British goods. April 19, 1775: Battles of Lexington and ConcordColonists had been boycotting British goods and stockpiling weapons for several months as Britain doubled down on its Coercive Acts. During the night of April 18, 1775, British troops marched to Concord to seize weapons. This led to Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride, where he and other patriots alerted nearby towns so that the colonists could get ready to meet the troops. On April 19, 1775 the British troops arrived in Lexington and were confronted by the colonial militiamen. Both sides were ordered not to shoot unless fired upon. The shot that rang out is now known as the infamous “shot heard ‘round the world” since it marked the start of open violence between the two sides. After a chaotic and bloody battle in the two towns, the British troops eventually retreated to safety in Charlestown Neck. The events at Lexington and Concord made it clear that the Continental Congress needed to be reconvened to help manage the militia and come up with a strategy. So, they decided to meet on May 10, 1775. June 14, 1775: George Washington and the Continental ArmyWhile the militia had some success at Lexington and Concord, they were outmatched by the British in terms of training, organization, and weaponry. Thus, on June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted to create the Continental Army. They appointed George Washington as Commander General because of his previous military experience. June 17, 1775 Battle of Bunker HillThe Battle of Bunker Hill took place during the siege of Boston. While the British succeeded in capturing the hill, it came at a dear price, leaving them depleted and unable to advance or maintain their position. The Battle of Bunker Hill was important because even though the Americans lost, it showed that they were capable of inflicting much more damage than the British were expecting. The Americans became more organized when George Washington took control of the army two weeks later and improved their strategy as well. July 8, 1775: The Olive Branch PetitionWhile conflict had been growing for months, delegates were still divided as to whether they wanted to go to war. Some thought war was inevitable and wanted to fight, while others felt that there was still a chance to avoid war. John Dickinson led the effort to draft an “olive branch” petition as a last-ditch effort to avoid war. The petition affirmed the colonies’ loyalty to King George and asked for a reprieve from the unjust and oppressive laws under the Coercive Acts. The petition was sent to London on July 8, 1775. However, by the time the King received the petition several weeks later, news of the Battle of Bunker Hill had already reached London, prompting him to issue the Proclamation of Rebellion which rendered the petition a moot point. August 23, 1775 Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and SeditionKing George III’s Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition (or the “Proclamation of Rebellion”) declared that the colonies were in a state of “open and avowed rebellion.” It ordered officials to suppress the rebellion and for British loyalists to report on the activities of the colonies. The proclamation marked the end of any attempts to negotiate peace with Britain. It also extinguished the efforts of moderates in the Second Continental Congress like John Dickinson who wanted to avoid war. July 4, 1776: Declaration of IndependenceOver the coming months, the delegates to the Second Continental Congress worked within their own colonies to gain the authority to make decisions. This ultimately resulted in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, which was signed by the delegates on July 4, 1776. November 15, 1777: Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation were proposed to provide the framework for the provisional government that the delegates hoped would get the new country through the war. The Articles were signed by the delegates of the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777. It became effective on March 1, 1781, after all of the states ratified it. The Articles were ultimately replaced by the Constitution when it was ratified in 1789.
1781 - 1789: Congress of the ConfederationThe Second Continental Congress gave way to the Congress of the Confederation following the ratification of the Articles of Confederation in 1781. Similar to the Second Continental Congress, the delegation from each state had one vote. The Congress of the Confederation marked the shift of Congress from trying to win the war to trying to develop an entirely new country. The Congress of the Confederation struggled to maintain order and authority. Without a clear threat of war, the states had less incentive to work together. The Congress of the Confederation eventually led to the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1789. Check out the Articles of Confederation article on StudySmarter to learn why the Articles of Confederation needed to be replaced with the constitution! Second Continental Congress FactsBelow are some facts about the Second Continental Congress! During its tenure from 1775 - 1789, the Second Continental Congress: What was the outcome of the Second Continental Congress meets in 1775?The Second Continental Congress, meeting in May 1775, appointed George Washington commander in chief of the army. It later approved the Declaration of Independence (1776) and prepared the Articles of Confederation (1781), which granted certain powers to the Congress.
What important responsibility did the Second Continental Congress take on in May 1775?The Second Continental Congress assumed the normal functions of a government, appointing ambassadors, issuing paper currency, raising the Continental Army through conscription, and appointing generals to lead the army.
What did the Second Continental Congress debate about?They chose to try to resolve the ongoing crisis with England. However, the most significant issue faced by the Second Continental Congress was whether to continue seeking reconciliation with Great Britain or to declare independence, debated in June and July of 1776.
What did the Second Continental Congress accomplish when it met in May of 1775 quizlet?Why did the second continental Congress accomplish when it met in May of 1775. It petitioned King George III again and created the Continental army. At the Second Continental Congress he was named commander of the Continental army.
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