The Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies. It governed the colonies before and during the American Revolution and met three times from 1774 to 1789.

In the First Continental Congress, delegates from twelve colonies (all but Georgia) met in September 1774 because of the Coercive Acts imposed by the British Parliament on Massachusetts to answer the Boston Tea Party and other resistance to new taxes. The following men served as the president of the First Continental Congress:

• Peyton Randolph (September 5, 1774 – October 21, 1774)
• Henry Middleton (October 22, 1774 – October 26, 1774)