New York Provincial Congress

The First Provincial Congress was convened in New York City on May 22, 1775 with Peter Van Brugh Livingston as president. The first resolution adopted was obedience to recommendations made by the Second Continental Congress.

The Provincial Congress adapted a "Plan of Accommodation between Great Britain and America", which it sent to its delegates to the Continental Congress, urging extreme caution in opposing Britain. The plan demanded the British government repeal all unpopular laws affecting the colonies and acknowledge the right of the colonies to self-taxation. In return, New York promised to contribute to the costs of defense, maintain civil government, and recognize Britain's right to regulate imperial trade.^[10]

In May, they ordered the militia to stockpile arms, remove cannon from Fort Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga, and erect fortifications and defenses on Manhattan Island. All Loyalists in the province were disarmed. In May, the raising of 3,000 militia to serve until December 31 was authorized, and in early June they authorized the payment of £5 sterling for each hundredweight of gunpowder delivered to county military stockpiles.

The Provincial Congress condemned the planned invasion of Canada, since they concluded it conflicted with their own plan of reconciliation. In June, in response to rising tensions, British troops in New York City left to board ships in the harbor. Marinus Willett intervened to prevent them taking carts loaded with militia arms back to the ships. The Provincial Congress welcomed the return of Governor William Tryon, regarded as someone who could be reasoned with, while on the same day providing a more elaborate welcome for Continental Army Commander-in-Chief General George Washington, on his way to take command at the Siege of Boston. On June 28, 1775 they authorized the raising of the four regiments of the New York Line. On July 20, 1775, members of the Sons of Liberty and others raided a British storehouse at Turtle Bay. In August, the Congress ordered the militia to remove the cannon at the Battery, which was done under fire from the ship of the line HMS Asia. In late 1775, the provincial militia was restructured.

It adjourned on November 4, 1775 and appointed a Committee of Safety to sit during its recess. This committee was dominated by Alexander McDougall and John Morin Scott.

Members:^[11][12]

The Second Provincial Congress was organized on December 6, 1775 and sat in New York City, and continued until adjournment on May 13, 1776. In January, 1776, George Washington ordered Major General Charles Lee to prepare New York City for the coming British attack. In February, the Provincial Congress initially refused Lee's entry as antagonistic to the British ships with their guns aimed at the city, but then agreed and also decided to stop provisioning the British ships in New York Harbor.

The Third Provincial Congress was organized on May 22, 1776. It continued in session until June 30, 1776. It took place in Fishkill. It instructed its delegates to the 2nd Continental Congress to oppose independence. On May 31, 1776, the Continental Congress recommended that each of the provinces establish themselves as states. In June, British invasion forces began to amass in New York Harbor.

Notable members (partial list):^[13]

The Fourth Provincial Congress convened in White Plains on July 9, 1776 and became known as the First Constitutional Convention. It declared the independent state of New York on July 9, 1776. On the same day the Declaration of Independence was read by George Washington to the Continental Army and local citizens on the commons of New York City, who celebrated by tearing down the statue of George III in nearby Bowling Green. On July 10, 1776, the Fourth Provincial Congress changed its name to the Convention of Representatives of the State of New York, and "acts as legislature without an executive." On August 1, the convention assigned the task of drafting a constitution to a committee of thirteen and ordered it to report a draft by August 27, but it did not do so until March 12, 1777.^[14] While adjourned it left a Committee of Safety in charge.

The Constitution of the State of New York was adopted on April 20, 1777 in Kingston. The governor would be elected and not appointed, voting qualifications were reduced, secret ballots were introduced, and civil rights were guaranteed. On July 9, 1778 the State of New York signed the Articles of Confederation and officially became part of the government of the United States of America, though it had been a part of the nation as representative were signatories to the Declaration in 1776.

1st Provincial Congress

• Peter Van Brugh Livingston May 23, 1775
• Nathaniel Woodhull Aug 23, 1775 pro tem
• Abraham Yates Nov 2, 1775 pro tem

2nd Provincial Congress

• Nathaniel Woodhull Dec 6, 1775
• John Haring Dec 16, 1775 pro tem
• Nathaniel Woodhull Feb 12, 1776 pro tem

3rd Provincial Congress

• Nathaniel Woodhull May 18, 1776
• John Haring Jun 19, 1776

4th Provincial Congress and Representative Convention

• Nathaniel Woodhull Jul 9, 1776
• Abraham Yates Aug 10, 1776 pro tem
• Abraham Yates Aug 28, 1776
• Peter Van Brugh Livingston Sep 26, 1776
• Abraham Ten Broeck Mar 6, 1777
• Leonard Gansevoort Apr 18, 1777

• Provincial Congress
• Category:Members of the New York Provincial Congress
• New York Declaration of Independence