Final answer:
John Adams generally thought that the Continental Congress did not have legal authority according to British law.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Adams generally thought that the Continental Congress did not have legal authority according to British law. During the discussions about the relationship between the colonies and the mother country, there was a proposal for an imperial union with Britain, but it was defeated. The response from the King and Parliament further reinforced the belief that the Congress did not have the legal authority in the eyes of British law.