Question

Which form of political participation by colonists led to the development of the Committees of Correspondence?

Petitions
Protests
Town hall meetings
Writing letters to officials

Answer 1

The Committees of Correspondence were formed by colonists primarily through the action of writing letters to officials, initiated by Samuel Adams via the Massachusetts Circular. These committees were instrumental in unifying the colonies against British policies and in organizing resistance, such as the boycotts against the Tea Act and the response to the Intolerable Acts, which led up to the Revolutionary War.

Step-by-step explanation:

The form of political participation by colonists that led to the development of the Committees of Correspondence was writing letters to officials. Initially, in Massachusetts in 1768, Samuel Adams authored the Massachusetts Circular, a letter that encouraged colonial resistance to British policies by boycotting British goods. This form of communication and coordination soon evolved into the establishment of the Committees of Correspondence, which aimed to share ideas and information across the colonies. With Samuel Adams as a leading figure, and through letters and documents distributed among the colonies, the Committees became pivotal in organizing and unifying colonial opposition, leading to acts of protest such as boycotts and, ultimately, setting the stage for revolution.

The Committees of Correspondence played a significant role in the revolution against British control. They were key in coordinating the resistance to the Tea Act, enabling the colonies to prevent British tea-carrying ships from unloading their cargo as a means of protest. Their activity intensified following the passage of the Intolerable Acts, as they spread warnings and coordinated colonial responses that culminated in the convening of the First Continental Congress. This gathering was in direct response to the Intolerable Acts, drafting a list of grievances and a statement of colonists' rights. As tension with Britain escalated, these Committees facilitated the communication necessary for revolution and were integral to the formation of a new American government.

Answer 2

The Committees of Correspondence were quasi-governmental bodies formed in the thirteen American colonies between 1764 and 1776. They were created by Patriot leaders to create and distribute information and opinion about repressive British policies among themselves and their sympathetic agents in England. Samuel Adams urged the creation of a committee of correspondence in 1772 to communicate with other colonial assemblies, educate townspeople about their political rights, and rally opposition to British rule. In March 1773, the Virginia House of Burgesses proposed that each colonial legislature appoint a standing committee for intercolonial correspondence, and within a year, nearly all had joined the network. By early 1774, all of the thirteen colonies except Pennsylvania had an inter-colonial committee of correspondence