Outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
By the time the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in May 1775, the 13 Original Colonies were at war with Great Britain. A ragtag American army, known as the New England Army of Observation, had trapped British forces in Boston, Massachusetts after the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
Congress Prepares for War
With the Siege of Boston underway, Congress prepared for the war to continue by establishing a Continental Army and appointing George Washington as its Commander-in-Chief. However, Congress also tried to broker peace by sending the Olive Branch Petition to King George III. Unfortunately, the King rejected the petition and declared the American Colonies were in a state rebellion.
King George IIIPhoto byAllan Ramsay, Google Arts & Culture
The Movement for Independence
Although Americans had been driven to defend their rights over their lack of representation regarding British taxation policies, there was an underlying movement for independence led by prominent men like Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren. However, independence was not what most Americans — or the First Continental Congress — wanted to pursue.