The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774. Delegates gathered at Carpenters' Hall from September 5 to October 26 to coordinate a colonial response to Britain's Coercive Acts, called the Intolerable Acts by many colonists.
Twelve of the Thirteen Colonies sent delegates; Georgia did not attend because Loyalist sentiment remained strong there. The meeting included prominent figures such as George Washington, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and John Jay. Peyton Randolph of Virginia served as president.
The Congress did not declare independence. Instead, it adopted the Continental Association, a coordinated boycott of British goods, and sent a petition to King George III. It also agreed to reconvene if colonial grievances were not addressed, leading to the Second Continental Congress in 1775.
Philadelphia is sometimes confused with nearby sites associated with later founding events. The First Continental Congress met at Carpenters' Hall, while the Second Continental Congress met mainly at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. Both gatherings were important steps toward the American Revolution and the founding of the United States.