1770
Six years before the Declaration of Independence, the Sons of Liberty in New York City engaged in a violent skirmish with British soldiers on January 19, 1770. Known as the Battle of Golden Hill, it was sparked by the British sawing down a “Liberty pole” two days earlier. When Isaac Sears and other patriots tried to stop soldiers from posting anti-rebel handbills, a riot ensued. Often called one of the first violent incidents of the Revolution, it occurred six weeks before the more famous Boston Massacre and highlighted the growing tension between colonists and the British military.
1776
In one of the first major deployments of New Jersey forces during the Revolution, troops crossed into Long Island, New York. The primary objective was to disarm Loyalists (Tories) who were perceived as a threat to the revolutionary cause in the region. This operation marked a significant early step in securing the area around New York City before the British arrived in force later that year.
2026 Commemorations in New Jersey
As today is Monday, January 19, 2026, several commemorations for the 250th Anniversary (Semiquincentennial) are taking place across the state:
- The William Trent House (Trenton) is debuting its 300th-anniversary exhibit, “Trenton History: People, Places, Events,” featuring a focus on the city's revolutionary past.
- The Allentown Village Initiative (Allentown) is hosting a “Dinner with the President” at 5:00 PM, featuring a historical reenactor portraying George Washington.
- The annual MLK Day Breakfast at the Gibson House (Marlton) includes the theme “From Declaration to Dream: 250 Years of the American Promise,” linking the Revolution's ideals to the modern civil rights movement.
- The Morris County Library (Morristown) is hosting the RevolutionNJ traveling exhibit, “Revolutionary Lives: Living the American Experiment Then and Now,” open to the public today.