What document did the Second Continental Congress send to King George III in 1775 seeking reconciliation?

The Olive Branch Petition was the document the Second Continental Congress sent to King George III in 1775 seeking reconciliation. Congress adopted it on July 5 and sent it to London after it was signed on July 8.

John Dickinson was its primary author. The petition affirmed the colonists’ loyalty to the British Crown while asking the king to help resolve disputes over taxation and imperial policy. It reflected the position of delegates who still hoped to avoid a complete break with Britain.

The appeal failed. George III refused to receive it and issued the Proclamation of Rebellion in August 1775, formally declaring the colonies to be in revolt. The petition is therefore an important reminder that independence was not initially the only position represented in the Continental Congress.