Continental Association was an agreement adopted by the First Continental Congress of the American Colonies on Oct. 20, 1774. It was designed to defend American rights. The chief provisions were that each colony would (1) stop importing all British and Irish goods and some foreign and West Indian products by Dec. 1, 1774; (2) halt participation in the slave trade effective Dec. 1, 1774; (3) stop consumption of all British and Irish goods and some foreign and West Indian products by March 1, 1775; (4) stop all exports to Britain, Ireland, and the West Indies beginning Sept. 10, 1775; and (5) appoint committees to report violations.