Massachusetts Provincial Congress

Massachusetts Bay Provincial Congress of Deputies
Seal
Type
Type	Unicameral Provisional Revolutionary Government of The Province of Massachusetts Bay
History
Founded	October 5, 1774
Disbanded	October 25, 1780
Preceded by	Great and General Court of Massachusetts Bay (disbanded)
Succeeded by	General Court of Massachusetts
Leadership
Governor	Vacant Massachusetts Governor's Council (pro tem)
President of the Congress	John Hancock (1774-1775) Joseph Warren (1775) James Warren (1775-1780)
Clerk/Secretary	Benjamin Lincoln (1774-1775) Samuel Freeman (1775-1780)
Structure
Authority	Governmental authority in Patriot controlled territory in Massachusetts
Meeting place
1st Congress: Salem, Concord, Cambridge 2nd Congress: Cambridge, Concord, Watertown 3rd Congress: Watertown
Constitution
Massachusetts Bay Charter

The Massachusetts Provincial Congress (1774–1780) was a provisional government created in the Province of Massachusetts Bay early in the American Revolution. Based on the terms of the colonial charter, it exercised de facto control over the rebellious portions of the province, and after the British withdrawal from Boston in March 1776, the entire province. When Massachusetts Bay declared its independence in 1776, the Congress continued to govern under this arrangement for several years. Increasing calls for constitutional change led to a failed proposal for a constitution produced by the Congress in 1778, and then a successful constitutional convention that produced a constitution for the state in 1780. The Provincial Congress came to an end with elections in October 1780.