Georgia was the only one of the thirteen colonies that did not send delegates to the First Continental Congress in 1774. The congress met in Philadelphia to coordinate a response to the Intolerable Acts and other disputes with Britain.
Georgia’s absence reflected its political and military circumstances. Loyalist sentiment was relatively strong, and the colony relied on British military support during conflicts with Indigenous nations on its frontier. It later joined the revolutionary movement and sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress.
The First Continental Congress therefore represented twelve colonies, not all thirteen. Its delegates adopted the Continental Association and agreed to reconvene if Britain did not address their grievances.
Georgia’s later participation is important because the Second Continental Congress included representatives from all thirteen colonies when it moved toward independence. The distinction between the two congresses is a common source of confusion in Revolutionary-era questions.