These acts were designed to punish and break the spirit of the colonists. Unfortunately, similar to other previously passed acts, it brought the colonists closer. As a result, twelve of the thirteen colonies formed the First Continental Congress to organize a boycott of British trade and assert the colonists' basic natural rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The delegates expressed the desire that the colonies maintain loyalty to the crown by pursuing autonomy, not independence. However, this meeting was significant because it can be seen as one of the first concerted efforts by the American colonies to unite under a common cause toward secession from the English.