II. Second Continental
Congress and Continued
Fighting
A. The Second Continental
Congress
1. Where, When, Who, and What
– May 1775: Meet in Philadelphia
– New Members: Included Ben Franklin, John
Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson
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Many still felt loyalty to the King George III
Blamed the Parliament
Only a few actually wanted independence
The Congress does 3 major things during
this meeting
2. Creates Continental Army
– Congress agreed to
support the war already
going on
– Turns the New England
forces into the Continental
Army
– June 1775: Appoints
George Washington to
lead the new army
3. Declaration of the Causes and Necessity
of Taking Up Arms
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July 1775: Congress issues this document
Explains why Americans were at war
Accused Parliament for causing the war
Says the war is not to separate from Great
Britain but to defend its rights and property
4. Olive Branch Petition
– Congress sends this to the King George III
– Call themselves “faithful subjects of the
Colonies”
– Asks the king to make a reconciliation with
the colonies
– Despite petition the King says the Colonies
are in open rebellion
– Parliament passes law banning colonial
trade outside the British Empire
B. Fighting Continues
1. Green Mountain Boys
– Vermont Militia
– Organized by Ethan Allen
– May 10 1775: Capture
British Fort Ticonderoga
– Later captures a fort at Crow Point
2. Siege of Boston
– After Lexington and Concord
– British Soldiers fall back to Boston and
occupy the town
– 15,000 militia from New England surrounded
Boston
– Battle of Bunker Hill pushes the Militia back
losing 400 soldiers
– British lost 1000 but still won the battle
3. Washington takes Boston
– Washington has captured weapons from
Ticonderoga brought to Boston
– By March 1776: Washington had enough
weapons
– Takes Boston
– Forces the British to retreat out of Boston
Harbor
– British sail to Halifax Nova Scotia with 1,100
Loyalists (colonists who sympathized with the
British)