T3+-+6.1A

T3 - 6.1A: Maddy Allen, Nicole Doyle, Haley Cash (Olive Branch Petition)

**KING REJECTS OLIVE BRANCH PETITION **

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA July 8th, 1775- The Olive Branch Petition is signed by the Second Continental Congress. Our fellow colonists wrote this petition to King George III. In the petition they told the king that they are loyal to him, but they want the wrong things that the British have done to the colonists to be set right. The colonists didn’t want full independence, but wanted to create fair trade and taxes between them and Britain. King George refused to read the petition, because he thought that the colonists had started a rebellion.

The Second Continental Congress formed a committee to write a letter to King George. They were angry at how they were getting treated, but still wanted to remain loyal to the crown. They told the king this in the Olive Branch Petition. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the petition, but the congress rejected it. Then John Dickinson wrote the final draft, which the congress accepted. Finally, on July 8th, 48 members of the Second Continental Congress signed the Olive Branch Petition and it was sent to the King.

After the petition was signed, Richard Penn and Arthur Lee were given the important task of delivering the petition to King George III. Once they got to England, the petition was given to Lord Dartmouth to present to the king. The king refused to accept the petition and Lord Dartmouth said, “As His Majesty did not receive the petition on the throne, no answer will be given.” The congress was in shock. The Olive Branch Petition had taken them days to write and King George III refused to even read it.

The Olive Branch Petition was the last effort the colonists made to prevent the war. It was a peace offering to the king. After the colonists had heard that King George III had refused to read the petition, the war started. Richard Penn and Arthur Lee told the congress that the king had rejected the petition. “On the 21st of last month, we sent the Secretary of State for America, a copy of the Petition from the general Congress; and yesterday, the first moment that was permitted us, we presented to him the Original, which his lordship promised to deliver to his Majesty. We thought it our duty to press his Lordship to obtain an answer; but we were told that his Majesty did not receive it on the throne, no answer would be given.” The colonists had decided that they wanted their independence. They were angry about the taxes and the harsh way the British treated them. King George never made an effort to appease the colonists. The colonists were already angry, and King George III refusing to read the Olive Branch Petition was the last straw. Therefore, the Revolutionary War soon started.

The Olive Branch Petition was written to avoid war with Britain. It stated that the colonists were still loyal to the king, but were upset about some things. They asked King George III to fix the unfair taxation on them and to have the British treat the colonists better. It was written by John Dickinson and signed by 48 members of the Second Continental Congress. Then, it was delivered to King George by Richard Penn and Arthur Lee. King George III refused to accept the petition. Therefore, the colonists were upset and the Revolutionary War soon started.

Reported by- Nicole Doyle, Hayley Cash, and Maddy Allen Tyrrell 3rd Period