What was the
First Continental
Congress?
By: Keena Cheng
Chapter 1: Informational Text
What was the First Continental Congress?
Introduction
Have you ever thought of the question who made
America? Well, the First Continental Congress made it
happen. During the American Revolution, we (America)
were under control of Great Britain, King George #3. If it
hadn’t been for the First Continental Congress, America
might still be under Britain’s control. In this book, you will
learn more about the First Continental Congress.
What was the Intolerable Acts? The Intolerable Acts
was passed to punish the people of Massachusetts. The
Parliament wanted to punish Massachusetts because King
George was mad at the people of Massachusetts that
disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians. This is because
the “Mohawk Indians” had dumped 342 chests of tea. The
tea was important to the British and then it was gone! So
the British closed the dock and made sure no ship would
come or go, which meant the people of Massachusetts
couldn’t get food from other countries and other supplies.
The Parliament did this until Massachusetts payed back
what they did. This becomes the Boston Tea Party. One
person said “Rally Mohawks, bring out your axes, and tell
King George we’ll pay no taxes. On his foreign tea.” This is
one reason the delegates met.
Another reason why the delegates met was because of
their idea of independence. What they meant by
independence was they wanted to be free: not under
control of King George #3. So what they came up with is
this. They made a list of basic rights that they wanted.
They also made a list of complaints to send to King George
#3. Also, they wanted British Troops out of Boston so
people of Boston wouldn’t starve and die. The last thing
they wanted was for the Coercive Acts or Intolerable Acts
to be repealed.
Also, what they talked about at the First Continental
Congress was if Great Britain was telling them,
(Massachusetts) to follow the Intolerable Acts that they
were going to give King George a response. So they
(delegates) talked about how they would deal with the
Intolerable Acts. The delegates came up with the idea of
boycotting. A detail to this is when King George heard this
he said “The die is now cast. The colonies must either
submit or triumph.”
Conclusion
The First Continental Congress was exciting, yet
dangerous. It was dangerous because King George didn’t
know that they were meeting, they met in secret. Other
Than that, the First Continental Congress was an exciting
part of history.
Glossary
For chapter 1
Parliament- a governing body
King George #3- the leader of Great Britain at the time of the
American Revolution
Mohawk Indians- a type of an indian tribe
Repealed- to withdraw or cancel out officially
boycotting- to voluntarily not do something so someone or something
would lose money by protesting
This is a picture of delegate
Samuel Adams. He was the
cousin of delegate John
Adams, who was a president.
Chapter 2: HF Mini-Story
Elizabeth Jane Potter’s Diary
Date: September 6, 1774
Entry: Dear Diary,
Yesterday, I went to the First Continental Congress!
“Elizabeth Jane Potter,” father had called, “we’re going to
be late!” It was in Carpenters Hall, Philadelphia. So when
we arrived, someone was saying something like “We shall
boycott, gain our independence, and have the Intolerable
Acts repealed!” Then, I realized that, that person was
General Washington! By then, everyone was cheering and
clapping. I especially was happy. That’s because we live in
Boston, Massachusetts, the wharf is closed so no ship
could come or go. No food, no supplies for living. Life now
is hard in Boston. Everyday wearing a child’s gown. My 9
month old sister, Abigail Elizabeth Potter still wears a
clout, a pudding cap, and other stuff to protect her if she
falls. Because she is learning to walk. My older sister,
Jane Victoria Potter, age 13 has started to wear some of
Ma’s clothes, but other than that, still a child’s gown. I feel
so much better even though life’s hard to know that there
are good people out there to help and make the world a
better place to live and be in. Anyhow, life without the First
Continental Congress would be worse than life now.
This might have been what a
Fancy diary looked like
when Elizabeth Jane Potter
lived.
Chapter 3: Essay
Loyalist, Neutral, or Patriot?
I think if I lived at the time of the American
Revolution, I think neutral is best out of loyalist, patriot,
or neutral. I think this because the British Parliament
and King George #3 weren’t very nice, colonists were
unruly, and finally because of the Intolerable Acts.
I think being neutral is best out of loyalist, patriot, or
neutral. One reason is because Parliament and King
George #3 weren’t very nice. Let me show you what I
mean. King George #3 needed money to pay for his
10,000 plus soldiers. So, he taxed the colonists. He
could’ve got a lot of money by taxing the colonists which
he could used to pay for his soldiers. But he didn’t get a
lot of money so he had the citizens keep the soldiers. So,
he passed the Quartering Act. This meant citizens had
to give the soldiers food, water, and shelter at anytime.
Another reason is, because of the Stamp Act. He taxed
the colonists for all paper products that they bought.
This was unfair.
Another reason why I think being neutral is best out
of loyalist, patriot, or neutral, is because though King
George (loyalist) wasn’t nice, the colonist on the
American side were unruly. I think this because there was a
painting that Paul Revere copyed of the Boston Massacre.
The painting he drew, showed the patriots side completely
defenseless, and the British Soldiers with guns. In the real
Boston Massacre, the colonists had rocks, sticks, clubs,
and snowballs that they threw. So, when Paul Revere
purposely drew that picture, he upsetted the British and
made them angry. According to the book The American
Revolution for Kids by Janis Herbert, Paul Revere did copy
the picture and draw it to upset the British. Another
reason the patriots were unruly is because there were so
many protesters for the Stamp Act, they started breaking
stamp collector’s houses and driving them out of their
homes.
My last example of why I think being neutral is best out
of loyalist, patriot, or neutral is because of the Intolerable
Acts. The Parliament set the Intolerable Acts to punish
the people of Massachusetts for the Tea Act. The patriots
were tired of all the taxing. But the Parliament was also
tired of the patriots little antics. So neither side was
winning.
I think being neutral is better than loyalist or patriot:
the British Parliament and King George weren’t very nice,
the colonist were unruly, and because of the Intolerable
Acts. I hope you understand why I think being neutral is
better than loyalist or patriot.
THis is what Paul Revere’s
Boston Massacre painting
looked like.
Bibliography/
Sources
www.factmonster.com
www.kidport.com
www.ushistory.org
www.socialstudiesforkids.com
www.bostonteapartyship.com
www.hobart.k12.in.us
www.williamsburgkids.com
www.mrnussbaum.
com/american-revolution/
The Founding Fathers BY: John
Malam
THe American Revolution for
Kids By: Janis Herbert
Dk Eyewitness Book: American
Revolution
Liberty KIds VIdeos
Fact Tracker: American
Revolution By: Mary Pope
Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce