The First Big Meeting

In September 1774, 56 leaders from twelve of the thirteen colonies traveled to Philadelphia for a very important meeting.

They gathered inside Carpenters' Hall and called themselves the First Continental Congress.

They talked, argued, and finally agreed to write a polite letter to the king asking him to stop the Intolerable Acts.

They also agreed to stop buying anything from Britain until the king listened — a giant colony-wide 'no thank you.'

Before going home, they promised to meet again the next spring if things did not get better — and, as it turned out, things got much worse.