<P> The Olive Branch Petition was adopted by the First Continental Congress on July 5, 1775 in a final attempt to avoid a full - on war between Great Britain and the Thirteen Colonies in America . The Congress had already authorized the invasion of Canada more than a week earlier, but the petition affirmed American loyalty to Great Britain and beseeched King George III to prevent further conflict . The petition was followed by the July 6 Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, however, which made its success unlikely in London . In August 1775, the colonies were formally declared to be in rebellion by the Proclamation of Rebellion, and the petition was rejected by Great Britain--even though King George had refused to read it before declaring the colonists traitors . </P> <P> The Second Continental Congress convened in May 1775, and most delegates followed John Dickinson in his quest to reconcile with King George III of Great Britain . However, a rather small group of delegates led by John Adams believed that war was inevitable . During the course of the Second Continental Congress, Adams and his allies decided that the wisest course of action was to remain quiet and wait for the opportune time to rally the people . </P>

Who did the members of the second continental congress blame for the war