The Revolution, many years in the making,
had finally culminated in violent attacks.
The Revolution movement along with forced alienation by the British
Government had pushed the Gentry of the colonies to declare their independence. The War had only been active a few months
before the British Empire focused their campaign in the middle states of New
York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania because the Empire believed they would be
able to find more Loyalists in these colonies.
The War of Independence affected different aspects of New York in
different ways; one can see its affects in economy and in social groups.
New York was a place of commerce, and was
a main port that traded with the British because of one simple principle,
supply and demand. The Americans had
what the British wanted, and the British had what the Americans wanted.[1]
Trade commenced, and some did not feel as if it was trading to the enemy. Both opposing sides wanted to put a stop to
this action as time progressed in the mid-1770’s. They viewed that trading with the enemy was
trading wealth away. The Non-importation
Association was the Colonies attempt at curbing trade, but this did not go far
enough. On September 10, 1775, the First Continental Congress prohibited all
trade with Britain or the Caribbean.[2]
Britain responded with the Prohibitory
Act, which effectively cut the colonies off from the rest of the world. The Prohibitory Act would continue even
through the Occupation of New York City until 1778 when an exception would be
made for this port, and the trade would be exclusive to England.[3]
New York’s Tory population was a sizeable
portion, and even a greater portion of the population was not invested in
either side. This is because of the
general exodus from the City because of the rumors the British would attack New
York City next. The colonists believed
this because British had abandoned Boston.
As one New York City newspaper claimed “We are in daily expectation of
having our city knocked down and burned by the Men of Warr”.[4]
In response to the impending assault on New York, Continental soldiers came
from surrounding states like New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
The City’s influx of soldiers created an
increasingly military controlled city. Soldiers
awaiting the assault were instructed to build up barricades and to fortify the
island. The City was being transformed
into a large fortress. This affected the
local population because it conflicted with local life. As the soldiers continued
to pour into the city, the economy of the City was tremendously hit. Businessmen lost much of their customer base as
people left the New York area, which meant the wealth left as well. These men hurriedly tried to collect the
debts due them, and printed tickets representing money as opposed to using the
Continental Congress Notes because they did not have faith in the Philadelphia
printed money.[5]
Tory’s lives were affected by the
Continental Army occupation. Initially
the Tories had to lie low and stay quiet during the Continental Occupation
because of fear of incarceration or Mob Attacks. Some Tories were not as prudent as others
were, and were attacked by Whig mobs. Mobs
at times would specifically attack the more obnoxious and outspoken Tories.[6]
These mobs would literally drag Tories out of their homes in order to harass
and attack them. The leadership in the Continental
Army tried to quell these attacks, but only to limited effect. After the British had landed 32,000 troops
and pushed the Continental Army out of New York City, the remaining Tories celebrated,
hoisting up His Majesty’s Flag, and were able to speak freely without
persecution.[7] The British would occupy New York City for
the next 7 years.
The early years of the occupation were not
very joyful. The troops who had landed
were strangers to those who stayed in the city.
Some were truly foreign not even speaking English. Even other soldiers thought themselves
superior and cared little for the Loyalist.[8]
The carelessness for the so-called Loyalist allowed justification for home
intrusions. The soldiers plundered these homes for materials and resources they
needed or wanted. This did not last long as the British Occupying Force passed proclamations
limiting the soldier’s movement, thus preventing more damage.[9]
There was a continuous stream of Loyalists
coming into New York City. Most were fleeing persecution from surrounding
regions, and coming to the British Protection. These Tory refugees strove to
duplicate their life in New York, and to go on with their daily life.[10]
These Tories opened shop pushing economic growth. Eventually it was hard to bring new jobs into
the City, which left open the last option for the men: the military. Even if there were opportunities for
businesses to open, the restrictions placed on legal trade were devastating. “the enterprising business man therefore, who
assumed all the risk and danger of such trade, could only realize so much
profit if he elected to obey the law”.[11]
The only advantage according to Judith Van Buskirk of the occupation of British
Troops in New York City was it was able to flush out the Whigs. It allowed inter-trade to commence without
outside influence getting into the deal.[12]
During the occupation, the City of New
York was a hub for African American slaves to flee their masters. During the Revolution Era, both Whigs and
Loyalists were vying for the labor of African American slaves. The British were trying to undermine the
Colonist economy, while the Colonists were trying to sustain it under the
current Acts that Parliament had put the Colonies under. The British continued with Lord Dunmore’s
decree that if a slave runs from his master to the British occupied territory,
the slave would be free. This posed an
issue with the Revolutionary authorities.
As such, these authorities “regularly scooped up slaves whom they
suspected of planning to defect to the other side, subjecting them to
incarceration and interrogation”.[13]
This action had two effects. One, it
would provide economic hardship through the loss of labor during the
incarceration. Two, it would cost money because
the Revolutionaries required a bond to be posted regardless of the guilt of the
suspected slave.
Both British Loyalist and Colonist had
defections to the opposing side. The
prospect of freedom for Slaves drew American Slaves to New York to be free and
under the protection of the British occupying force, while British Loyalist
slaves fled their own masters to become the property of American Slave-owners.[14] Therefore, the British occupation not only
affected the economics of the colonist in the surrounding colonies, but even within
the Loyalist New York City.
Earlier it was discussed that those who
stayed behind initially endured hardships by the soldiers. The occupation was also demanding on Freed
Slaves. These men, though once slaves
were now considered New Yorker’s. Thus,
their hardships were brought out through the British occupation. The British Army confiscated houses,
materials and resources all in the King’s name.
If a house was confiscated from a black man, he had fewer options than a
white man did.[15] This in turn caused black freed men to turn
to the last option: joining the military.
Judith L. Van Buskirk describes the
experience in New York as unique to the local populace because as opposed to
the descriptions given too many other regions, few had such a steady stream of
loyalist flowing into it. Few had as
many black slaves risking their life to gain their freedom. The economics of the region are not like any
other region filled with Loyalists who restore trade to their port after
petitioning. The War of independence for
New York had seen great strong economic affects and social affects. The affects were not limited to individual
actions, but it widespread across the City and into the surrounding areas.
[1]
Judith Van Buskirk. Generous Enemies (Philadelphia, PA: University of
Pennsylvania Press 2004), 107
[2]
Ibid. 70, 111
[3]
Judith Van Buskirk. Generous Enemies (Philadelphia, PA: University of
Pennsylvania Press 2004), 114
[4]
Ibid. 14
[5]
Ibid18
[6]
Judith Van Buskirk. Generous Enemies (Philadelphia, PA: University of
Pennsylvania Press 2004), 17
[7]
Cynthia
A. Kierner, ed., Revolutionary America,
1750-1815: Sources and Interpretation (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice
Hall, 2003), 143
[8]
Judith Van Busirk. Generous Enemies (Philadelphia, PA: University of
Pennsylvania Press 2004), 23
[9]
Ibid. 23
[10]
Judith Van Buskirk. Generous Enemies (Philadelphia, PA: University of
Pennsylvania Press 2004), 26
[11]
Ibid.115
[12]
Ibid 115
[13]
Ibid 137
[14]
Judith Van Buskirk. Generous Enemies (Philadelphia, PA: University of
Pennsylvania Press 2004), 140
[15]
Ibid. 141
