The Early Congresses
At the urging of Massachusetts and Virginia, the First Continental Congress
met in Philadelphia on Sept. 5, 1774, and was attended by representatives of all
the colonies except Georgia. Patrick Henry of Virginia declared: “The
distinctions between Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no
more. I am not a Virginian but an American.” This Congress, which adjourned Oct.
26, 1774, passed intercolonial resolutions calling for extensive boycott by the
colonies against British trade.
The following year, most of the delegates from the colonies were chosen by
popular election to attend the Second Continental Congress, which assembled in
Philadelphia on May 10. As war had already begun between the colonies and
England, the chief problems before the Congress were the procuring of military
supplies, the establishment of an army and proper defenses, the issuing of
continental bills of credit, etc. On June 15, 1775, George Washington was
elected to command the Continental army. Congress adjourned Dec. 12, 1776.
Other Continental Congresses were held in Baltimore (1776–1777), Philadelphia
(1777), Lancaster, Pa. (1777), York, Pa. (1777–1778), and Philadelphia
(1778–1781).
In 1781, the Articles of Confederation, although establishing a league of the
thirteen states rather than a strong central government, provided for the
continuance of Congress. Known thereafter as the Congress of the Confederation,
it held sessions in Philadelphia (1781–1783), Princeton, N.J. (1783), Annapolis,
Md. (1783–1784), and Trenton, N.J. (1784). Five sessions were held in New York
City between the years 1785 and 1789.
The Congress of the United States, established by the ratification of the
Constitution, held its first meeting on March 4, 1789, in New York City. Several
sessions of Congress were held in Philadelphia, and the first meeting in
Washington, D.C., was on Nov. 17, 1800.
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