Thomas Dongan, first Royal Governor of New York Lately, I have been thinking about the connections between New York and the Glorious Revolution of 1688. This may be because I am fascinated by the incompetence of James Stuart on the throne of England and Scotland. This July there are two anniversaries one celebrated; one not … More 1688 and New York
This week our nation marked the 228th anniversary of the ratification of the United States Constitution. Unsurprisingly, most Americans did not mark the day because we tend to take the Constitution for granted – like the sun. The ratification debate was heated as well as polarizing. Many Americans do not realize that many of the … More Revolutionary Dissent
Who is Abraham de Peyster and why does he get moved around so much? Abraham who? Abraham de Peyster was mayor of New York in 1691 after a turbulent period in our history. Although of Dutch birth, de Peyster was a successful politician, loyal to the British Crown and in 1701 became acting governor of … More The Moving Dutchman
Cadwalder Colden was one of the most prominent of colonial leaders in 1776. Colden is present at key moments leading up to the American Revolution beginning with the Stamp Act Crisis in 1765. Colden arrived in New York from Philadelphia in 1718 with the idea of practicing medicine, a graduate of the prestigious University … More Cadwalder Colden
Today in 1658, the first real “Law and Order” mayor of Niew Amsterdam, or more accurately Director General, Petrus Stuyvesant created the “rattle watch” – the colony’s first official police force. Nieu Amsterdam was created by the West India Company as an investment in the New World. By 1647, when Stuyvesant arrived in the colony it … More August 12, 1658: Nieu Amsterdam
What was it like to be in New York City on July 3, 1776? Would you be excited or terrified? I think it is important to remember what a monumental step the “Founding Generation” took on July 2-4. In the haze of fireworks we forget that they declared independence from the dominant European military power … More July 3, 1776 – Patriots and Rebels
Bowery & Canal 