Final answer:
The delegates in the First Continental Congress sent a message to King George III expressing their loyalty and hope of preventing further hostilities. When their appeals were rejected, the delegates published the Declaration of Independence, declaring the colonies' independence from British rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
The delegates in the First Continental Congress sent a message to King George III through various petitions and documents. In the Olive Branch Petition, Congress expressed their loyalty to the king and hoped that he could prevent further hostilities against the colonies. However, when the king rejected the petition and declared the colonies in rebellion, the delegates in the Second Continental Congress published the Declaration of Independence, stating that the United Colonies are and should be free and independent states, absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown.