Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress facts for kids

The Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress was an important statement adopted by the First Continental Congress on October 14, 1774. It was also known as the Declaration of Colonial Rights or the Declaration of Rights. This document was written to explain why the American colonies were upset with the British Parliament.

The Declaration listed the colonists' complaints about new laws called the Intolerable Acts. It also outlined a list of rights the colonists believed they had. This document was similar to an earlier one from ten years before, the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which came from the Stamp Act Congress.

At the end of the Declaration, the Congress shared its plans. They decided to stop buying and selling British goods (this was called the Continental Association). They would do this until their complaints were addressed. They also planned to publish messages to people in Great Britain and America. Finally, they would send a petition to the King.

Why the Declaration Was Needed

After the Boston Tea Party, the British government passed strict new laws. The colonists called these laws the Intolerable Acts. There were five main parts to these acts:

• The Boston Port Act closed Boston's harbor.
• The Massachusetts Government Act changed how Massachusetts was governed.
• The Administration of Justice Act made trials for British officials fairer in Britain, but not for colonists.
• The Quartering Act forced colonists to house British soldiers.
• The Quebec Act expanded Quebec's borders and changed its government.

These laws made colonists very angry. They felt their rights and freedoms were being taken away. Because of this, delegates from almost all the colonies met in Philadelphia. This meeting was called the First Continental Congress. It took place at Carpenters' Hall on September 5, 1774. They met to decide what action the colonies should take against Britain. Only Georgia did not send delegates. The First Continental Congress created several important documents, and the Declaration and Resolves was one of them.

What the Declaration Said

The Declaration and Resolves started by explaining why the colonists were so upset. It said that since the last war, the British Parliament had been trying to control the American people completely.

The Declaration pointed out several problems:

• Parliament had started taxing the colonies without their consent.
• They created new courts and officials with unfair powers.
• Judges' salaries were now controlled by the King, making them less independent.
• British soldiers were kept in the colonies even during peacetime.
• Parliament decided that colonists could be sent to England for trial. This was for serious crimes like treason.
• The recent Intolerable Acts were seen as unfair, cruel, and a danger to American rights.
• Colonial assemblies (local governments) were often shut down when they tried to discuss problems.
• The colonists' requests to the King were ignored or treated badly.

Because of these "arbitrary proceedings," people from many colonies decided to send representatives to the Congress in Philadelphia. Their goal was to protect their religion, laws, and freedoms. The representatives, acting for all the colonies, then declared their rights. They stated that the people in the English colonies had certain rights. These rights came from nature, the English constitution, and their colonial charters.

Key Rights and Complaints

The Declaration then listed specific rights and explained how they were being violated.

• Right to Life, Liberty, and Property: The colonists believed they had a right to their lives, freedom, and possessions. They felt no government could take these away without their permission. This meant they were equal to British citizens living in England.

• Rights from Ancestors: The Declaration stated that the first settlers of the colonies were born with all the rights of free British subjects. Moving to America did not make them lose these rights. Their descendants, the colonists, still had these rights. This was important because Britain had recently tried to limit some of these rights. The colonists felt this made them less important than people in Britain.

• No Taxation Without Representation: A core idea was that people should have a say in their government if they are being taxed. Since colonists did not have representatives in the British Parliament, Parliament should not tax them. The British government needed money after the French and Indian War. They also wanted to show the colonies who was in charge. The colonists' famous slogan was "No taxation without representation!"

• Right to Trial by Peers: The colonists believed they had a right to be tried by a jury of their neighbors, following English law. The British Administration of Justice Act allowed British soldiers accused of crimes in the colonies to be tried in Britain. Colonists called this the "murder act." They feared soldiers could escape justice by leaving the colonies. This resolve demanded trials happen in colonial courts.

• Rights from Charters and Laws: The Declaration said colonists were entitled to the rights given in their colony's original charters. These rights had been in place since the colonies were founded. This meant that colonial laws and rights should be respected and not easily changed by the King or Parliament.

• Right to Assemble and Petition: Colonists had the right to gather peacefully, discuss their problems, and send petitions to the King. The British had often stopped these gatherings. This resolve aimed to protect groups like the committees of correspondence. These committees were formed to share grievances among colonists.

• No Standing Army in Peacetime: The British had placed a permanent army in Massachusetts in 1768. The Declaration stated that keeping an army in a colony during peacetime, without the colony's permission, was against the law. Colonists were angry about having to house and feed these troops. They saw it as a sign of mistrust and too much control from Britain.

• Independent Colonial Legislatures: The Declaration demanded that colonial governments should be independent. They should not be controlled by councils chosen by the King. Instead, they should be run by colonists and leaders chosen by the people. This was a strong demand for more self-rule.

• Repeal of Unfair Acts: Finally, the Declaration listed many specific British laws that violated the colonists' rights. It stated that these laws, including all the Intolerable Acts, were illegal. The Declaration said these laws must be repealed to bring back peace between Britain and the American colonies. This resolve directly challenged the authority of the King and Parliament over the colonies.

What Happened Next

In Britain At this time, the colonies were clearly unhappy with the British King and Parliament. However, King George III refused to give in to their demands. He wanted to keep the colonies under British control, even if it made the colonists unhappy. King George famously told his Prime Minister, Lord North, "The die is now cast, the colonies must either submit or triumph." This meant he would not negotiate with them after the Declaration was published.

A writer named Samuel Johnson wrote a pamphlet called Taxation No Tyranny. He questioned the colonists' right to govern themselves. He also pointed out that many colonists who cried for liberty still owned enslaved people.

In the Colonies The Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress had several important effects. For those who wanted full independence from Britain, it helped to unite them. It boosted their spirits towards gaining freedom. For people who were unsure about supporting independence, this document listed all the King's wrongdoings. This could convince them to turn against the King.

Before this document, the main goal of the Continental Congress was to discuss complaints and get respect from the King. But after the Declaration was published, American opinion began to shift. More and more people started wanting to separate completely from Britain. Not all Americans felt this way. Many people, especially in the South, were Loyalists. They wanted to remain part of the British Empire. However, public opinion was definitely changing.