|
|
The
French and Indian War
was costly for the
British.
To help pay for it, they raised taxes in the colonies. Like colonists elsewhere, New Yorkers were angered by the taxes, and many were ready to fight for independence. The
Stamp Act,
passed by the British Parliament in 1765, was the last straw. It taxed paper products, newspapers, books, and even playing cards. It added to the burdens already placed on the colonies by the earlier Sugar Act.
In 1765, the colonists convened a
Stamp Act Congress
in New York City
to protest the burdensome taxes. The
British Parliament
repealed the
Stamp Act, but passed the
Townsend Acts, which imposed taxes on glass, paper, and tea, among other items. The movement toward independence was now unstoppable.
When representatives of all the colonies signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Americans were formally at war with Great Britain. One-third of the Revolutionary War (177583) battles were fought in present-day
New York State.
In 1776, British troops landed on
Staten Island, were ferried over to Brooklyn, and engaged George Washington's outnumbered forces in a series of battles at Long Island, Manhattan, and White Plains. The
British
captured
New York City
and held it until the end of the war.
In 1777, a powerful
British
army from Canada tried to take control of the Hudson River. The British experienced their first major defeat at the Battle of
Saratoga
in 1777. The American victory persuaded
France to join the war on the side of the colonies.
The
Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the war, was negotiated by John Adams, Ben Franklin, Henry Laurens, and
New Yorker John Jay.
The
Revolution
had taken a heavy toll on the farms and villages of New York. One-third of Manhattan lay in charred ruins. And about 30,000 New Yorkers who had been loyal to
Great Britain
had left the state.
New York
ratified the
U.S. Constitution
on July 26, 1788, and became the 11th state in the new
Union. New York City
was the capital of the country from 1785 to 1790. Native Americans on the frontier were defeated in a series of skirmishes, and white settlers quickly moved into the central and western areas of the state.
New York
guide, hotels
Google maps
|
New York City
Highlights
When to go
Arrival
Transportation
Walking
Eating and drinking
KIDS:
Kids New York
Kids
activities
Kids
toys, clothing
Kids cultural activities
The Giuliani years
September 11,
2001
World Trade
Center
Best of
New York
Gays
and Lesbian
G
& L accommodation
G &
L bars
G & L Clubs
Media
N Y tours:
bus/copter
N Y
tours: water/walking
Free
museums hours
Staten
Island ferry
Parades and Festivals
Shops
and markets
Clothes, fashion
Diamond
District
Food and
drink
Liquor
stores
Music
Music-special interest
Art
galleries
New York
guide, hotels
Google maps
|
New York City
Highlights
When to go
Arrival
Transportation
Walking
Eating and drinking
Kids New York
Kids activities
Kids toys, clothing
Kids cultural
activities
The Giuliani years
September 11, 2001
World Trade Center
Best of New York
Gays and Lesbian
G & L accommodation
G & L bars
G & L Clubs
Media
N Y tours: bus/copter
N Y tours: water/walking
Free museums hours
Staten Island ferry
Parades and Festivals
Shops and markets
Clothes, fashion
Diamond District
Food and drink
Liquor stores
Music
Music-special interest
Art galleries |
New
York
guide,
hotels, airfares
Travel
options:
New York
hotels
New York vacation
rental
New York airfares
Cruises
Road trip
Broadway tickets
Exploring New York
v 42nd Street and around
v Central Park
v Chelsea
v
Chinatown
v City Hall and TriBeCa
v East Village
v Fifth Avenue
& around
v Financial District
v Garment District
v Harlem and N Manhattan
v Little Italy and NoLita
v Lower East Side
v Metropolitan Museum of Art
v Midtown East
v Park Avenue (Midtown)
v United Nations
v Midtown West
v Murray Hill
v Outer boroughs
v Bronx
v Brooklyn Heights
v Queens
v SoHo
v
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Is
v Union Sq & Gramercy Park
v Upper E side
v Upper W side
v Walking Tours
vWest Village
|
