Provincial Congress facts for kids

The Provincial Congresses were special groups of leaders formed in ten of the Thirteen Colonies during the early days of the American Revolution. These groups acted like temporary governments. They were created because the colonists felt that the British government was not listening to them. When the colonies later became independent states, these congresses were usually replaced by new, official state governments.

Why the Colonies Needed New Governments

Before the American Revolution, each of the Thirteen Colonies had its own government. This government was a bit like the British government back then. There was a governor, who was like the king. There was a colonial assembly, which was like the British Parliament's House of Commons. And there was a council, which was like the House of Lords.

The colonial assemblies believed they should decide what taxes their fellow colonists paid. They did not think the British Parliament had the right to tax them from far away. This led to many disagreements. Governors, who represented the British king, tried to enforce new laws and taxes from Britain. But the colonial assemblies often resisted. They argued that governments should get their power from the people they govern.

How Committees Helped Organize Resistance

To organize their resistance, colonists formed groups called Committees of correspondence. These committees acted like secret communication networks across the colonies. They shared ideas and plans.

Later, during the First Continental Congress in 1774, new groups called "committees of inspection" were formed. Their job was to make sure colonists followed the Continental Association. This was a plan to stop trading with Britain in protest of unfair British laws.

By 1775, these committees became very powerful. They started to act like shadow governments. They slowly took over from the official British authorities. These groups, often called Committees of Safety, managed local economies, politics, and even local militias. They helped prepare the colonies for independence.

When Some Colonies Didn't Need New Bodies

Not all colonies needed to create these new congresses right away. Some colonies, like Connecticut and Rhode Island, had more freedom from British control. They elected their own governors who supported the colonial assemblies. So, their existing governments continued to work without much change until they officially became states. For example, Jonathan Trumbull of Connecticut and Nicholas Cooke of Rhode Island served as both the last colonial governors and the first state governors.

The Delaware Colony also had a lot of independence. Even though it was linked to Pennsylvania, it had its own assembly that was usually allowed to make its own decisions.

List of Provincial Congresses

Here are some of the important Provincial Congresses and similar groups that helped lead the colonies toward independence:

• New Hampshire Provincial Congress
• Massachusetts Provincial Congress
• New York Provincial Congress
• Provincial Congress of New Jersey
• Pennsylvania Provincial Conference
• Maryland's Assembly of Freemen (also known as the Annapolis Convention)
• Virginia Conventions
• North Carolina Provincial Congress
• South Carolina Provincial Congress
• Georgia Provincial Congress