Final answer:
The First Continental Congress asked the British Parliament to respond to its petition by a specific date, but the desired response was not received. The Second Continental Congress convened in 1775 after the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, and reconciliation became unlikely. Ultimately, the Declaration of Independence was drafted and released in 1776.
Step-by-step explanation:
The First Continental Congress asked the British Parliament to respond to its petition by a particular date. The Congress sent the petition to the King in 1774, but it became evident that the colonists would not get the desired response. In May 1775, the Second Continental Congress convened, and by that time, the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord had already taken place. The Congress realized that reconciliation was unlikely, and eventually, the Declaration of Independence was drafted and released in July 1776.