Second Continental Congress

On May 10, 1775, delegates from the 13 British colonies met at the State House in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress. On the first Congress of the colonies, the Stamp Act Congress 9 colonies had attended. On the First Continental Congress 12 colonies attended, and now all the colonies were present. Several new delegates, important characters in the American history, were present. This included John Hancock from Massachucetts, Bejamin Franklin from Pennsylvania, and Thomas Jefferson from Virginia. When the Second Continental Congress the confrontation in Lexington Green between militia and lobster backs had happened, in which 8 lobster backs had been killed. The other confrontation in Concord when the lobster backs were going back to Boston, also with the militia, had also recently occured, in which 200 lobster backs had been killed and wounded.
Video: Reenactment of Lexington Green battle:

The first thing that was done on the Second Continental Congress was to take responsability for war. They created what is known as the Continental Army in case they needed to meet the military threat of the British government. They named George Washington as the supreme commander of the Contintental Army, and he even chose to serve without pay. Another thing they did in July, was to approve the Olive Branch Petition which was direction to the king of that time, King George III. With this petition they attempted a peaceful resolution  and declared their loyalty to the Crown. The King, though refused to receive this petition and declared that the colonies were in a state of rebellion in the month of August. The colonists felt disappointed, they had previously believed that only Parliament was against them and now they knew it was also the King.

George Washington hired Hessian mercenaries to keep the colonists, which were opinions against Parliament were in majority stronger than ever. The colonists were beginning to feel part of another nation, or country not anymore members of Britain. Patrick Henry was one of the first colonists who had called the 13 colonies as America , back in the First Continental Congress. With time, cries of independence were beginning to be heard. The members of the Congress were even getting accused of treason against Parliament. They could just hope that all would end well and kept on governing.