On June 10, 1775, John Adams pressed the Second Continental Congress to take control of the war by establishing a committee to organize and regulate a unified Continental Army. With the rebellion still viewed by many southern delegates as a regional dispute, Adams understood that only a national military structure could prevent the conflict from collapsing into local chaos. His push marked the moment when the colonies began acting as a single political body rather than a loose collection of provincial interests.
Four days later, Congress formally adopted the New England forces as the Continental Army, and on June 15, Adams nominated George Washington—a respected Virginian with military experience—to command it. The choice helped secure broad support for the measure and symbolically tied Virginia’s fortunes to those of Massachusetts. In creating the Continental Army, Congress committed itself to a long, uncertain struggle, taking a decisive step toward full independence.
