The news of military action by the Britishers spread like a wild fire in all the colonies. As fixed earlier, on May 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress met at Philadelphia. The Congress had two main tasks before it. First, it had to review the possible charges made by the British and second, and more important, to prepare for the war.
Meanwhile Massachussetts forces seized from British the Fort Ticonderoga. Along with this the Americans also occupied the Crown Point and St. Johns. The Congress passed the resolution branding the British as aggressors and declared war upon the British. In the declaration the entire blame for resort to arms was thrown on the King’s ministers and the causes and necessity of taking up the arms was emphasized. The Congress voted that a Continental Army be raised. George Washington was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the forces.During the entire war about 400,000 men were raised.