The History of New York State, Book XI, Chapter II, Part XII

1765
January 6	The name "Sons of Liberty" first used by Colonel Barre, in British Parliament in opposition to Stamp Act.
March 22	Stamp Act received royal assent.
April 11	news of Stamp Act reached America.
June 10	New York "Gazette" suspended on account of opposition to the Stamp Act.
August 30	James McEvers resigned as distributor of stamps.
August 31	General Gage wrote Colden that the public papers were "crammed with treason" and that the people were "encouraged to revolt."
September 6	Fort George put in a state of defense.
October 7	Stamp Act Congress met in New York City
October 22	Ship "Edward" brought first stamps to metropolis.,
October 31	People in mourning over Stamp Act. People cried "Liberty" and broke lamps and windows. Sons of Liberty chose a committee of correspondence. Merchants agreed to boycott British goods.
November 1	Stamp Act became operative. New York is a state of rebellion. No effort to enforce Stamp Act.
December 11	Assembly protested to king and parliament against "internal taxes and duties."

1769
January 2	Governor Moore dissolved Assembly because of its resolves "repugnant to Great Britain."
February 18	"The Friends of Liberty" celebrated the repeal of the Stamp Act.
March 13	Committee appointed to "inspect all European importations."
April 6	Colonel Morris given permission to introduce a bill in the Assembly to exempt all Protestants from taxes for the Established Church in southern New York.
April 10	Assembly thanked merchants for observing the non-importation agreement. Cordwainers and Sons of Liberty agreed not to eat lamb in order to encourage wool growing.
May 13	Committee of merchants appealed to :the ladies in particular" not to buy imported articles.
June 19	Alexander Robertson was forced to apologize for bringing boycotted goods into New York for sale.
July 7	Sons of Liberty of New York City published their constitution.
July 13	Violators of non-importation agreement advertised in press.
July 22	Simeon Cooley, "publicly acknowledged his crimes" and implored pardon in the Fields for violating the non-importation agreement.
September 19	Thomas Richardson at a scaffold near the Liberty Pole begged public pardon for selling forbidden goods.
November 30	Assembly voted to exempt all Protestants from paying taxes to support churches to which they did not belong. Not passed by Council.
December 18	Public meeting in Fields protested against voting public money for British troops
December 20	Governor Colden offered £500 reward for name of author of seditious broadsides.
December 22	Assembly voted for elections by ballot.

1770
January 5	Colden signed bills granting £2,000 for support of the troops
January 13	British soldiers attempted to cut down Liberty Pole and attacked Montague;s house.
January 17	Liberty Pole cut down by soldiers. Three thousand citizens meet to discuss the billeting Act and to boycott the soldiers.
January 19	"Battle of Golden Hull: in which soldiers and civilians were wounded--called the :"First battle of the Revolution"
January 22	Mayor Hicks ordered soldiers to stay in barracks unless accompanied by officers.
February 2	Common Council of New York City voted for public sessions.
February 6	Sons of Liberty erected their Fifth Liberty Pole
February 7	Alexander NcDougall put in jail for printing seditious handbills.
February 14	"Forty-five gentlemen . . .real enemies of internal taxation" dined with Captain McDougall
March 14	McDougall pardoned and released from jail
March 19	Anniversary of repeal of Stamp Act celebrated
March 24	Soldiers tried to destroy Liberty Pole bur failed
May 17	Subscribers to non-importation agreement called to meet
May 30	Public meeting in city hall resolved to uphold non-importation agreement although other colonies were violating it
June 11	Division of opinion over non-importation
July 5	Proposed to limit non-importation
July 7	A "great majority" voted to resume importation from Great Britain, except tea, until other colonies ratified. Orders sent to England for goods.
July 25	Sons of Liberty asked counties to oppose breaking the non-importation compact
August 16	Equestrian statue of George III erected in Bowling green.
September 7	Statue of Pitt erected in Wall Street.
December 13	McDougall called before Assembly and sent to jail for issuing an objectionable broadside.
December 17	Edmund Burke appointed agent of New York

1773
April 22	Rivington's New York "Gazette" began but soon aroused criticism for its Tory tendencies.
June 4	King's birthday celebrated with much pomp
July 7	Franklin suggested a general congress
October 15	Public meeting at the Coffee House thanked Captains of London ships for refusing to carry tea to New York
October 25	news reached New York that tea would be sent to colonies
November 3	Governor Tryon regretted to report "the ferment in the mind of many" over the report about tea
November 4	Effigy of one Kelly displayed fro encouraging shipments of tea to America
November 27	Committee appointed to ascertain what would be done with tea. "The Mohawks" threatened any merchants who received the tea with an "unwelcome visit."
November 29	Sons of Liberty took lead in opposing taxes by means of tea
December 1	Council decided to store tea in fort and barracks, but "Liberty Boys" determined not to permit its landing.
December 4	Tea agents refused to receive it
December 15	Governor Tryon decided not to use force
December 16	Boston Tea Party--known in New York on December 23
December 17	Meeting in City hall appointed a committee of correspondence of fifteen members and voted that tea should not be landed.

1774
January 3	Governor Tryon wrote that tea could be safely landed at New York only under the "point of the bayonet and muzzle of the cannon."
January 20	Assembly named a committee of correspondence.
March 5	John Hancock proposed a general Congress
March 17	Tea ships expected daily
March 18	Repeal of Stamp Act again celebrated by a large company
March 24	Committee of correspondence promised cooperation with Boston in effectual measures and in appointing post riders.
March 31	King approved the Boston Port bill
April 7	Lieutenant-Governor Colden resumed government of New York
April 19	Broadside announced arrival of tea ships
April 22	Mohawks dump tea in harbor--this was New York's Tea Party
April 23	Another tea ship arrived from London
May 12	Copy of Boston Port Bill arrived at New York
May 15	Committee of correspondence first public body to suggest a Continental Congress. Letter of Sears and McDougall
May 16	A new committee of correspondence of fifty-one members appointed in a meeting at the exchange. Isaac Low named chairman. People approved committee three days later.
May 17	Paul Reveres reached New York en route to Trinity Church
May 17	Last public commencement of King's college in Trinity Church
May 17	Town of Providence, Rhode Island, urged a general Congress
May 18	"Surely Great Britain can never mean to drive us to. . . . .an eternal separation" wrote John Thurman, Jr.
May 19	Gouverneur Morris feared "the dominion of a riotous mob" and asked "all men to seed for reunion with the parent state."
May 23	Committee of Fifty-One sent letter to Boston by Paul Revere and asked for "a congress of the colonies."
May 30	Boston replied that "a general congress" was "indispensable."
May 30	New York committee asked counties to appoint committees of correspondence
June 1	Boston Port bill became effective
June 11	Governor Tryon's famous report on province made
June 15	Mob carried effigies of Lord North and others through streets and burned them before Coffee House.
June 23	Holt discarded the King's arms as headpiece of his paper and substituted a snake cut into pieces with the motto, "Unite or Die."
June 24	Committee of correspondence of Assembly approved of "a general congress, but had no authority to act.
June 27	Committee of Fifty-One discussed "the most eligible mode of appointing deputies" to the general congress
June 29	Committee of Fifty-One voted to nominate five deputies to Congress to be approved by the committee of mechanics and by freeholders and freemen. Controversy over deputies for several days.
July 4	Public gathering in the Fields denounced Boston Port Bill; urged non-importation until the bill was repealed; instructed delegates to Congress to favor non-importation agreement; and ordered a subscription for the Boston poor.
July 11	Sir William Johnson, died at Johnstown.
July 28	Philip Livingston, Isaac Low, John Jay, John Alsop and James Duane were "unanimously elected delegates to Congress" from New York City.
August 20	Massachusetts delegates to Congress welcomed to New York City
September 1	New York deputies set out for Philadelphia cheered by the people.
September 5	First Continental Congress net at Philadelphia. John Jay and James Duane put on committee to prepare a declaration of rights and grievances. Congress drew up an association prohibiting imports from Great Britain after December 1, 1774.
September 7	Merchants resolved to prevent "engrossers" and profiteers from enhancing prices and threatened to boycott any such person.
September 8	William Smith, wrote in his dairy that the first bloodshed :would light up a civil war."
September 14	John Thurman said every American could handle a rifle.
October 20	Eight New York delegates at Philadelphia sign the association
November 14	Distillers resolved to use no molasses or syrups from British West India Islands.
November 15	Committee of Sixty proposed to enforce the association
November 22	Committee of Sixty elected to succeed committee of Fifty-One
December 27	"The Mohawks" warned Andrew Elliott, collector of the port, not to send out of the province fire arms recently imported.

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1766
January 7	Sons of Liberty resolved to "go to the last extremity" in resisting the Stamp Act.
March 18	King assented to repeal of Stamp Act.
April 26	Bells rung in New York City to celebrate repeal of Stamp Act.
May 20	A second celebration on receipt of more positive news of the rescinding of the Stamp Act.
May 21	First Liberty Pole erected in New York city and banquet held in honor of the Stamp Act.
June 30	Assembly resolved to erect a statue of George III and to Pitt.
August 11	First blood of Revolution shed in conflict between Sons of Liberty and English soldiers.
December 5	Assembly, refusing to vote supplies for troops, was prorogued.

1767
June 29	King assented to Townshend Act placing a duty on glass, lead, paints paper and tea.
July 2	King signed bill restraining Assembly from passing any act until his troops were supplied.
October 5	Governor Moore reported that Assembly had voted supplies for soldiers.
December 18	Governor Moore proclaimed Sons of Liberty guilty of sedition.

1768
January 31	Baron de Kalb arrived in New York City.
February 6	Legislature appropriated £1,000 for statue to George III and £500 for one to Pitt.
August 27	Non-importation agreement of merchants
September 5	Tradesmen and merchants agreed not to purchase imported goods.
November 8	Assembly protested against new taxes
November 14	Popular demonstration in New York City
December 31	Assembly asserted its constitutional rights in a series of resolutions.

1771
March 18	Anniversary of repeal of Stamp Act celebrated
July 9	Governor Tryon assumed government of province.

1772
January 1	Complaint about over-taxation of New York City
January 16	Assembly voted that future members must be actual residents of the districts in which they were elected.
March 18	Anniversary of repeal of Stamp Act celebrated in New York City and on Long Island
March 24	New Militia Act
April 25	Postal service extended to Quebec
June 4	King's birthday observed with "great solemnity."
June 24	Stage coach started from New York to Boston