The purpose of the Committees of Correspondence was to establish and maintain a network of communication among the American colonies to coordinate opposition to British policies and promote colonial unity in the years leading up to the American Revolution. They served as political organizations that disseminated information about British actions, rallied support for the Patriot cause, and organized resistance efforts such as boycotts of British goods. The committees also helped educate colonists on their rights and grievances, coordinated intercolonial cooperation, and laid the groundwork for the First Continental Congress in 1774. Additionally, they acted as provisional local governments, organizing elections, supervising the war effort, and maintaining Patriot control in many communities as royal authority waned
. In summary, their main purposes were:
- To communicate and spread news of British policies and colonial responses between towns and colonies.
- To unite the colonies in coordinated resistance against British rule.
- To promote patriotism, home manufacturing, and boycotts of British goods.
- To organize political action, including the summoning of the First Continental Congress.
- To serve as local revolutionary governments and coordinate the war effort after hostilities began
