You might think of the Continental Congress as a gathering of boring politicians - which it was - but they were also responsible for organizing the Revolution and making decisions about the United States government, which also makes them rather dull. Sorry - important. I should actually say the "Continental Congresses", because there was more than one. The First Continental Congress was convened in 1774 in Philadelphia to oppose the closing of Boston harbor following the Boston Tea Party (part of the Coercive Acts).