First Continental Congress 1774

First Continental Congress  56 colonial delegates Samuel Adams: organized BTP John Adams: defended the soldiers in BM  Respond to the crisis in Boston

What the colonies wanted! (a compromise)  Remove British Acts  Allow for a Colonial army (militia).  10 resolutions to the king. Including the right to “life, liberty, and property.” Colonies didn’t mind being ruled by England.

FCC’s Compromise?  King George III did not agree! Therefore… Colonists should continue to boycott British goods. Colonial militia should be ready to fight.

The “Shot Heard Around the World.”  Minutemen: colonial militia ready to fight at a minutes notice.  British General decided to take away the minutemen’s weapons and ammunition.

April 1775  Weapons/ammunitions were stored in Concord.  Sons of Liberty sent 3 riders including Paul Revere to warn them.

Lexington and Concord: April 1775  70 minutemen  Large force of British Soldiers  Both commanders had orders not to fire  8 dead colonists  British marched on to Concord  Found few weapons  Burned buildings  As the British returned to Boston additional militia opened fire  250 Dead Redcoats  100 Dead Colonists