Why the Stamp Was Issued: To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress.
About the Stamp Design: The stamp features a quote from the First Continental Congress's letter to King George III of England. It includes a red border on the left side, with 12 white stars representing the 12 Colonies that were present at the first meeting (Georgia did not attend). The text is white, set against a blue background, with two white stripes on the left and right sides.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Carpenters' Hall at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carpenters' Hall was the site where the First Continental Congress convened.
History the Stamp Represents: In the fall of 1774, delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies gathered in Philadelphia to address Britain's Intolerable Acts.
Also known as the Coercive Acts, these laws were implemented after the Boston Tea Party to assert Britain's control over the colonies. The Acts closed Boston's port and revoked Massachusetts' Charter. The colonies showed their support for Massachusetts by calling for a Continental Congress.
The First Continental Congress convened on September 5, 1774, with delegates divided into two groups. One faction aimed to adopt policies that would force Parliament to repeal the Intolerable Acts, while the other group wanted to issue a stronger statement declaring the rights and liberties of the Colonies. After weeks of debate, they reached an agreement. They formed the Continental Association and created the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress. The Congress stated that if the Intolerable Acts were not repealed by December 1, the colonies would initiate a boycott of British goods. They also planned to embargo exports starting in September 1775.
Great Britain rejected all their demands. By the time the Second Continental Congress met in May 1775, the first shots of the war had already been fired at Lexington and Concord.
