Actions and Accomplishments
- Established the Continental Army under George Washington as commander-in-chief
- Created a Committee of Safety to oversee military and naval affairs
- Appointed Benjamin Franklin as postmaster general
- Established a Committee of Secret Correspondence to gather intelligence and conduct diplomatic negotiations
- Adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776
- Ratified the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States
- Negotiated the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War and recognized the independence of the United States
- Established the Northwest Ordinance, which established a system of government for the Northwest Territory and prohibited slavery in the region