As the bonds between the thirteen colonies and England began to unravel, the First Continental Congress was formed in May 1775 as an independent government. Communication between the colonies became a priority and on July 26, 1775, the Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General. Franklin had been involved with postal operations for over 30 years at the time of his appointment and is credited with planning a system that is the basis for today's United States Postal Service.