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America 250: Timeline

Resources to help celebrate the Semiquincentennial of American independence. July 4, 2026 will make the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

December 6, 1775

Declaration of the Inhabitants of Queens County

January 19, 1776 - Queens County Residents Signed Association

August 27, 1776 - Battle of Long Island

February 23, 1775

New York Assembly refuses to appoint delegates to the Continental Congress.

March 1, 1775

New York Committee recommends forming a Provincial Congress in response to Loyalist measures passed by the Colonial Assembly.

April 1, 1775

Colonial Assembly of New York holds its last session and adjourns.

April 4, 1775

General meeting held in Hempstead for purpose of swearing allegiance to King George and his beliefs.

April 19, 1775

Opening of Provincial Congress in New York City. Battle of Concord and Lexington.

April 20, 1775

Eastern Long Island elects delegates to the Continental Congress.

May 1, 1775

A committee of 100 is established in New York to preserve American Liberty.

May 10, 1775

Second Continental Congress convenes in Independence Hall, Philadelphia.  Fort Ticonderoga surprised and taken by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold and a force of 83 men.

May 22, 1775

First Provincial Congress meets in New York City.

May 25, 1775

Continental Congress orders Province of NY fortified and militia training.

June 14, 1775

US Army founded when Congress authorized recruitment of ten companies.

June 17, 1775

Battle of Bunker Hill.

June 19, 1775

Philip Schyler elected major general of Continental Congress.

June 22, 1775

Richard Montgomery made Brigadier General by Congress.

June 25, 1775

General Schyler placed in command of New York Department.

July 3, 1775

Washington took command of American Army.

July 6, 1775

Continental Congress made declaration of the cause and necessity of taking up arms.

August 1775

General Woodhull was sent to reorganize the militia of Long Island.

August 8, 1775

Provincial Congress orders local committees to buy all arm available.

August 9, 1775

Provincial Congress orders all political subdivisions to be divided into "beats" of one militia company each.

August 21, 1775

Continental troops under General Montgomery arrive at Fort Ticonderoga.

August 29, 1775

New York City shelled by British Man-of-War.

September 23, 1775

North side declares independence from the Town of Hempstead.

October 13, 1775

Continental Congress orders construction of naval fleet.

November 7, 1775

Freeholders in Hempstead turned out to vote against spending anyone to Continental Congress. The vote was: 221 in favor; 788 against.

November 10, 1775

Continental Congress established Marine Corps.

December 21, 1775

Hempstead found itself an outlaw community, cut off from any trade and from the protection of the courts.

December 22, 1775

Continental Naval fleet actively organized.

January 9, 1776

Continental Congress asks New York to defend entrances to harbor.

January 10, 1776

Thomas Paine published "Common Sense".

January 20, 1776

All inhabitants of Hempstead were forced to give up arms and ammunition to Col. Heard and to swear to obey Congress and defend American Liberty.

February 1, 1776

Phillip Livingston, John Alsop, John Jay and Alexander McDougall elected to represent New York City in "The Next General Assembly".

March 1776

Militia was established on Long Island, with 1700 men being from Queens County.

March 14, 1776

Continental Congress orders 8,000 men to defend New York City.

May 2, 1776

French began secret aid to American Revolution.

May 27, 1776

Provincial Congress of New York urges all delegates to vote for independence.

May 31, 1776

Provincial Congress calls election of a new Congress to consider the necessity of a new government.

June 7, 1776

Richard Henry Lee introduced resolutions which were forerunners of the Decleration of Independence.

New York City Committee calls for election of Harlem, Kingsbridge, White Plains, Peekskill, Highlands, Fort Lee, and Long Island delegates to a Provincial Congress to decide on independence.

June 9, 1776

Tory plot to remove arms failed in New York City.

June 1776

"Swamp Battle" in Hempstead was the result of the search for conspirators of a Tory plot. Part of a general raid by Lt. Colonel Cary to clear the Tories out of the swamp before the arrival of the British. 

June 11, 1776

Provincial Congress instructs Continental Congress delegates not to vote on question of Independence.

Commision appointed to prepare Declaration of Independence.

June 14, 1776

Continental Congress orders New York to detect and restrain all internal enemies.

June 24, 1776

Resolution of Congress to send 500 troops to Hempstead Innkeeper in Hempstead apprehended. 

July 2, 1776

Resolution of Independence.

July 3, 1776

Washington ordered removal of livestock from Hempstead.

July 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence.

July 5, 1776

General Howe and a force of 25,000 established British headquarters on Staten Island.

July 7, 1776

Northern army falls back from Crown Point to Ticonderoga.

July 9, 1776

Provincial Congress ratifies Declaration of Independence.

July 11, 1776

Lt. W. Toogood was ordered to remove all boats from Hog Island.

July 14, 1776

Lord Howe issues a proclamation calling upon the rebel inhabitants to lay down their arms and pledge allegiance to the King. 

July 19, 1776

Members of Congress resolved to sign Declaration of Independence.

August 25, 1776

All livestock ordered moved to east end of Hempstead Plains. Removed all grain.

August 27, 1776

Battle of Long Island won by British under General Howe.

August 28, 1776

While awaiting orders, General Nathaniel Woodhull was captured by a troop belonging to DeLancey's Brigade.

September 9, 1776

Congress adopted name: United States.

September 11, 1776

Peace Conference held on Staten Island between Lord Howe and Committee of Continental Congress.

September 15, 1776

New York City occupied by British.

September 16, 1776

Battle of Harbor Heights; British repulsed.

September 22, 1776

Nathan Hale hanged as a spy in present New York City, at Third Ave. and 66th St.

October 11, 1776

Battle of Valcour Bay: 37-gun British fleet under Sir Guy Carleton attack 83-gun American fleet and in a 7-hour battle cripple most of American Flotilla. That night Arnold's remaining ships by British. 

October 13, 1776

Engagement at Split Rock results in the complete destruction of the American Flotilla as a fighting force.

October 28, 1776

Battle of White Plains: Howe's forces lose 300 men and Washington's 200, but Howe captures a key hill position.

November 16, 1776

Howe captures Fort and George Washington on Manhattan Island, taking on 3,000 prisoners.

December 25, 1776

Washington crossed the Delaware; a turning point in the American Revolution.

April 20, 1777

First state constitution voted by convention and proclaimed at Kingston.

June 1, 1777

General John Burgoyne invaded Northern N.Y. from near Montreal driving toward Albany.

June 8, 1777

Rev. Cutting & Judge Ludlow look for school teacher.

July 3, 1777

Battle of Fort Ann - Americans under Livingston.

July 7, 1777

Burgoyne seizes Skenesborough.

July 27, 1777

Jane McRea murdered by Native Americans in British service at Fort Edward.

July 30, 1777

George Clinton takes oath of office as Governor.

August 3, 1777

British under Barry St. Leger attack Fort Stanwix in present Rome.

August 6, 1777

Battle of Oriskany: General Nicholas Herkimer commanding 300 militiamen marching to the relief of Fort Stanwix is ambushed by a group of Native Americans and Loyalists led by Joseph Brandt. Herkimer is badly wounded and later dies from his injuries. His action checks the Loyalist forces who later abandon the siege of Stanwix.

August 16, 1777

Battle of Bennington: Americans under General John Stark defeat British and Hessian troops at Walloosmac, near Vermont border.

September 19, 1777

First Battle of Saratoga: in an attempt to get to Albany British troops under Burgoyne move against entrenched position of Gates on Bemis Heights. The British attempt to gain high ground on American left is checked short of goal at Freeman's Farm by General Daniel Morgan. Battle ends in deadlock. 

October 7, 1777

Second Battle of Saratoga, British defeated.

October 16, 1777

Kingston, New York burned by the British.

October 17, 1777

Burgoyne surrenders at Saratoga.

November 15, 1777

Continental Congress adopts Articles of Confederation.

December 20, 1777

Hewlett and DeLanecey's Brigade pursue rebels to the east.

February 6, 1778

New York approves Articles of Confederation. 

June 1, 1778

Joseph Brandt leads successful raid on Cobleskill.

November 11, 1778

A successful raid on Cherry Valley is led by Captain Walter Butler and Joseph Brandt, a Mohawk Native American Chief and brother-in-law of Sir William Johnson, the late British Superintendent of Indian Affairs.

December 10, 1778

John Jay elected president of Continental Congress.

June 1, 1779

British troops under General Sir Henry Clinton capture two uncompleted American forts at Stony Point and Verylanck Point. 

June 29, 1779

Last Saturday, six Whale Boats attacked our Bay (Hog Island) near Rockaway. 

July 15, 1779

American forces under General Antony Wayne capture Stony Point on the Hudson below West Point. 

July 31, 1779

General John Sullivan begins his invasion of Indian Country starting from the Mohawk Valley.

August 10, 1779

Last Tuesday, John Jackson's store, west of mill dam, at Merrick was robbed.

August 29, 1779

American forces under Sullivan and James Clinton defeat Loyalists and Native Americans under John Johnson and Brandt at Newton, near present Elmira. 

September 15, 1779

General Sullivan begins his return from Indian Country after reaching Geneso.

February 19, 1780

New York cedes her right to Western lands to United States. Transfer is made March 1st. 

May 22, 1780

Johnstown burned by Tories.

August 2, 1780

Mohawk Valley raided by Loyalists and Native Americans in retaliation for Sullivan-Clinton expedition. 

September 23, 1780

British Major John Andre in disguise, captured at Tarrytown with information which exposes betrayal of General Benedict Arnold.

September 26, 1780

Arnold defects to British from West Point.

October 2, 1780

Major Andre hanged as spy at Tappan after trial by Court Martial.

July 10, 1781

Battle of Saratoga Springs: American forces under Marinus Willett attack and defeat band of Native Americans and Tories. 

October 19, 1781

Revolution ended, with the capitulation of Cornwallis at Yorktown. 

October 24, 1781

Battle of Johnstown. Marinus Willett commands victorious American forces in the last battle of the Revolution. 

April 1782

Washington's headquarters located at Newburgh.

May 9, 1782

Sir Guy Carleton arrives in New York City to make terms of peace.

September 7, 1782

Army disbanded.

November 30, 1782

Preliminary Articles of Peace signed.

November 25, 1783

British leave New York. 

December 4, 1783

Washington gives farewell to officers at Fraunces Tavern in N.Y.C.

April 13/14, 1784

After two meetings, one at Hempstead and one at Searingtown, an act passed establishing the Town of North Hempstead.