A group of men discuss the future of the Colonies in 1774.
Main illustration by Sam Kennedy; Shutterstock.com (background)
A Meeting That Changed History
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It was September 5, 1774. A group of men gathered in secret in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
At the time, the United States didn’t yet exist. America was made up of 13 Colonies ruled by Great Britain. Many people in the Colonies were angry. They didn’t like having to follow laws set by the British government.
The 56 delegates had come to Philadelphia from all over the Colonies. Their goal was to figure out how to band together against the British.
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The 13 Colonies
That meeting 250 years ago is known as the First Continental Congress. It lasted nearly two months. Finally, the delegates decided on a plan. They created a document that outlined their arguments against British rule.
But the British wouldn’t budge. In April 1775, the American Revolution began.
It would be eight years before America officially won its independence. The First Continental Congress set the stage for future meetings. Later groups created the U.S. Constitution and other important documents.
Brian Krisch works at the National Constitution Center. He says the First Continental Congress was the start of the 13 Colonies becoming 13 states.
“This was people learning to work together as a country for the first time,” Krisch explains.
