Olive Branch Petition - Video

Custom Search American Revolution: American Revolution Video Index Summary Videos Events Leading to the Revolution Boston Massacre Boston Tea Party Intolerable Acts Ride of Paul Revere Shot Heard Around the World First Continental Congress Battles of the Revolution Battle of Lexington and Concord Second Continental Congress Capture of Fort Ticonderoga Battle of Bunker Hill Olive Branch Petition Battle of Quebec British Evacuation of Boston Battle of Long Island Declaration of Independence Battle of Fort Washington Washington Crossing the Delaware Battle of Trenton Life in the Continental Army Battle of Princeton Battle of Brandywine Battle of Germantown Battle of Oriskany Battle of Bennington Battle of Saratoga Surrender of Burgoyne Winter at Valley Forge France Enters the War Spain Enters the War Battle of Charleston Battle of Camden Battle of Yorktown Surrender of Cornwallis Articles of Confederation Treaty of Paris Constitutional Convention President George Washington American Revolution Index American Revolution Timeline Social Studies Main Index		The Olive Branch Petition, in July 1775, was an attempt by the Continental Congress to avoid war with England. The Olive Branch Petition was first drafted by Thomas Jefferson, but John Dickinson found the language too offensive and rewrote most of it. The Petition said the colonies did not want independence, but merely wanted to negotiate trade and tax regulations with Great Britain. However, the Petition was undermined by a confiscated letter of John Adams. John Adams wrote a letter to a friend expressing discontent with the Olive Branch Petition. He wrote that war was inevitable, and that the Colonies should raise a navy and capture British officials. This confiscated letter arrived in Great Britain at about the same time as the Olive Branch petition. The British used Adams' letter to claim that the Olive Branch Petition was insincere. Although the King discarded the Petition, it still served a very important purpose in American Independence. The King’s rejection gave Adams, and other patriots, more justification in their push for independence. Check out these videos to learn more about the Olive Branch Petition.





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