American patriot Peyton Randolph (1721-1775), president of the first Continental Congress, was instrumental in securing independence for the United States of America.

At the time of Peyton Randolph's birth, the future United States of America was an assortment of 13 separate colonies ruled from far away England. But, by the time of his election as president of the first Continental Congress in 1774, these colonies had begun to see themselves as one united nation that could rule itself independently. Randolph was an early patriot who pushed for independence and his contributions to the movement for American independence and democracy were significant and long-lasting.

Peyton Randolph was born in the Tazewell Hall section of Williamsburg, Virginia, sometime during September of 1721 to Sir John and Susanna (Beverly) Randolph. Randolph's father was very prominent in Virginia politics as the King's attorney for the colony of Virginia. His father was also a diplomat and...