Hixnews - New York - The American Revolution Part 1

Details: Wendy Elkis-Girnis, Class of 1977; Hits: 545

January 2026 Newsletter

Article Pages

Wendy Elkis Class of 1977

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence from Great Britain, we thought it would be fitting to introduce articles that showcase the struggles our New York forefathers went through to win that independence and break ties with Great Britain, its Parliament, as well as with King George III.

In The Beginning

New York was originally inhabited by Indigenous people, the Lenape, until 1624. The Dutch West India Company settled the area we know today as Manhattan and Manhattan Island in the 1500snamed it New Amsterdam. The Dutch were involved in the fur trade. Under Peter Stuyvesant, New Amsterdam was known for itsPeter Stuyvesant religious tolerance, diversity, and growth. In 1626, the Dutch, under Peter Minuit, took control of Manhattan from the indigenous peoples for what some history books claim was $24. At the time, the indigenous people did not have a concept of commerce, so they were not aware that they were “giving” their land to the Dutch. They thought that the Dutch were thanking them for the use of the land. Unfortunately, the Lenape never set foot on their summer hunting grounds again. By 1664, New Amsterdam became New York, renamed for James, Duke of York, when the English acquired the land.Dutch surrender

The Ramifications of a War

Jumping ahead, after the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the Colonies were taxed by Parliament to pay for that war. One of those taxes, the Stamp Act in 1765, required an official government stamp on newspapers, playing cards, almanacs, and commercial papers. When the stamps arrived in New York that year, and were sent to FortFort George Uprising George, 2,000 protesters showed up. By October 31st, the Sons of Liberty sent another 2,000 men. The protest ended with the carriage and sleighs of the lieutenant governor set on fire, and the home of the fort's commander ransacked, and his possessions burned.

Part of those 1765 “taxes” was the Quartering Act. This act required British soldiers to be quartered in barracks and public houses at The Quartering Actthe expense of the colonies. If none were available, then they would be housed in inns, houses, barns, and other buildings. This act was disputed on the grounds of violating the English Bill of Rights of 1689, which said, "raising or keeping a standing army in peacetime, without the consent of Parliament, is against the law." Our third amendment stems from this law and is the only amendment that has never been challenged in the Supreme Court. Between the taxes the colonists were required to pay and the Quartering Act, the phrase "No Taxation without Representation" came to be.

Trying to Fight Back

In 1766, when 1,500 British troops arrived in New York, the New York Assembly refused to quarter them. This caused the troops to remain on British ships. Parliament then passed the New York Restraining Act of 1767. Due to this act, the New York Assembly was suspended in 1767 and 1769 for not allocating funds to house the soldiers. The governor of New York was also suspended. Another consequence was the conflict inGolden Hill Rebellion 1770, between British Soldiers and colonists known as the Battle of Golden Hill. By 1771, the New York Assembly allocated the necessary funding to house British troops.