Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress was a special group of leaders from the Thirteen Colonies. They met to help the colonies during a difficult time. They wanted the colonies to become independent from the British Empire.

The Congress first called themselves the United Colonies of North America. But in 1776, they changed their name to the United States of America. They met in Philadelphia, a big city in Pennsylvania. They started meeting on May 10, 1775, after some battles called the Battles of Lexington and Concord had begun.

The Second Continental Congress acted like a government. They organized soldiers, made plans, and chose leaders to talk to other countries. They also wrote important papers, like the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms and the Olive Branch Petition.

Later, the Congress declared independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. All the colonies agreed to the Declaration of Independence two days after that. They kept leading the new nation until March 1, 1781. At that time, they became known as the Confederation Congress. During this time, they also created the first U.S. constitution, called the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. They got help from other countries too.

The Congress met in different places to stay safe. They moved to Baltimore and York, Pennsylvania when needed. They worked hard to help the new nation grow and become strong.