The First Continental Congress (1774) was formed principally in response to
The Coercive Acts
the passage of the Coercive Acts by the British Parliament in 1774. These Acts were a series of punitive measures that were aimed at punishing the colonists in Massachusetts for their role in the Boston Tea Party of 1773. The colonists believed that these Acts were a violation of their rights and liberties as English citizens and responded with a united front.
Various colonial leaders convened in Philadelphia to form the Continental Congress, with the goal of coordinating a united response to these Acts. They hoped to petition Parliament to repeal the Coercive Acts and to advocate for the rights of the colonists to govern themselves. They also constructed a list of grievances known as the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which formed the basis of their argument for resisting British rule.
Overall, the First Continental Congress was formed to protest against British actions and to lay the groundwork for a united response to further attempts to assert British authority over the colonies. The Congress laid the foundation for the American Revolution and paved the way for the formation of the United States of America as an independent nation.
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