Bad beef smells really really bad and you would not have to put your nose close to the meat to smell it. You would know there was something wrong. I have had beef that is a little brownish in place and it was fresh and not old. I don't know exactly why it looks that way sometimes but it is probably drying blood.
When the Second Continental Congress came together on May 10, 1775 it was, in effect, a reconvening of the First Continental Congress.
They agreed to met again if their petition was ignored. The Second Continental Congress (May 10, 1775-March 1, 1781) met to defend the colonies (the American Revolution started on April 19th of that year) and send the Olive Branch Petition. As a result of the failure, they incrementally moved to independence from Britain.