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The American Revolution
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function as the lawful government of Massachusetts until the Coercive
Acts were repealed.
Patriots in the other colonies also hated the Coercive Acts. Many referred
to them as the Intolerable Acts. But what could be done about the laws?
Committees of correspondence called for a meeting to discuss options.
Twelve of the 13 colonies—Georgia was the exception—sent delegates to
Philadelphia for the First Continental Congress. It met from September 5
to October 26, 1774. The delegates approved the Suffolk Resolves, signal-
ing that the other colonies would stand by Massachusetts. The delegates
agreed to cease all trade with Great Britain unless the Coercive Acts were
repealed by December. They also agreed to convene again in May 1775.
“The Die Is Now Cast”
Most Patriots still believed their differences with Great Britain could be
resolved. They probably wouldn’t have felt that way had they known of a
September 1774 letter written by King George III. “The die is now cast,”
the king informed his prime minister, Lord North. “The colonies must
either submit or triumph.”
Text-dependent questions
1. Why was the British government in debt in 1763?
2. What would the Stamp Act do? Why did the act anger
colonists?
3. What event spurred Parliament to pass the Coercive
Acts?
Research project
Read about one of the 13 colonies. Write a one-page report
summarizing the colony’s history, from its founding to 1774.
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