Mr. Ortiz
US History
26th October 2014
Olive Branch Petition Before the occurrence of new laws set to punish the Americans, the colonists set in motion the start of negative entities to come due to the past choices that weren’t seen eye to eye with King George III. Despite the patience towards the American Colonists, King George III took action after his patience was tested through the dumping of tea known as the Boston Tea Party in Massachusetts. This protest was the cause of the Intolerable Acts. This includes the Quartering Act, Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act, and Quebec Act. In detail, the Quebec Act took away Massachusetts self-government and historic rights which set outrage and passionate resistance in the thirteen colonies towards Red Coat rule. These Acts passed by the Parliament hurt the most than any of the other Acts that passed; hurting them economically and financially. The King was trying to keep the colonists under his control but ironically did the opposite. However, some chose a different approach. In 1975, members of the Second Continental Congress wrote a petition to King George III to assert the rights of the colonists and prevent a revolution.
“To the King's Most Excellent Majesty. Most Gracious Sovereign, your Majesty's faithful subjects of the colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhode island and Providence plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, in behalf of ourselves and the inhabitants of these colonies, who have deputed us to represent them in general Congress, entreat your Majesty’s gracious attention to this our humble petition.” (Olive Branch Petition) This is how the petition begins, drafted by the Second Continental Congress and sent to King George III in hopes that he would favor their requests. The King not only rejected the colonists but did not even take the time to read the Olive Branch Petition. This brought great ferocious rage among the colonies. It was now at the brink of war, the brink of the American Revolution.
This was not common to some however as they still remained loyal to the King. For example, the