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July 5, 1775: Congress adopts the Olive Branch Petition
Penned by John Dickinson, this carefully worded appeal was addressed directly to King George III. It affirmed the colonists’ loyalty and pleaded for reconciliation, hoping to avert full-scale war and restore harmony between Britain and its American colonies.
The petition left for London on July 8, carried by Richard Penn and Arthur Lee. The two men delivered a copy to Lord Dartmouth, the colonial secretary, on August 21, and presented the original document on September 1. The next day they reported a curt dismissal: they were told that because the King had not received it formally on the throne, no answer would be given.
By then, however, the moment for reconciliation had already passed. On August 23, before the petition even reached him, the King had issued his Proclamation of Rebellion. In response to news of the Battle of Bunker Hill, he formally declared the colonies to be in open revolt. The Olive Branch, offered in good faith, landed on the wrong side of history.