The Olive Branch Petition was a final effort by some of the colonists to avoid all out war with the British Crown. To do this the Second Continental Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition on July 5, 1775. The Petition was rejected by the King when he refused to look at it because he deemed it to be from illegitimate subjects of his and instead issued a proclamation to suppress the rebellion in the colonies which was called the Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition on August 23rd of the same year.