The First Continental Congress was held on September 5, 1774, and lasted until October 26, 1774. It was held because the colonists were very upset about the Intolerable Acts and the taxes. The Intolerable Acts were punishments that King George III put on the colonies. He put them on so the colonists would feel sorry about dumping tea into Boston Harbor during the Boston Tea Party. The Congress met in secret: they did not want the British to know they were meeting. The meeting was held to discuss unfair treatment from Britain, what relationship the colonies should have with Britain, and what colonists' rights should be.

The meetings were held in Philadelphia. Each state but Georgia sent a representative to the Congress. The Royal Governor in Georgia had stopped the delegates from being a part of the congress. Patrick Randolph from Virginia was selected as the President of the First Continental Congress.

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The First Continental Congress agreed to boycott British goods. They also agreed to meet again if Great Britain did not change its policies. They did not want to become independent yet, but they were starting to become unhappy with Britain. Most of the colonists still wanted to be Englishmen. They signed a petition and sent it to England, demanding that the Intolerable Acts that the British had imposed should be repealed. They wrote that "Americans cannot submit. . .to these grievous acts and measures..." and that they wanted both countries to return to "happiness and prosperity." John Adams thought the First Continental Congress was like a school for colonial leaders.