New York was one of thirteen colonies in America.  A colony is governed or ruled by another country.  In order to rule the colony from a country far away across the ocean, a governor was appointed by the country's leader. The governor lived in the colony and was in charge of laws, taxes, and decisions which affected the colony and those who lived there.

For over fifty years the colony of New York was called New Amsterdam. It was governed by the country of Holland. In August of 1664, warships filled with soldiers arrived in New Amsterdam's harbor.  They took control and renamed the community and colony New York, after the Duke of York, brother to the English king, King Charles II.

In 1664 the British took control of New Amsterdam

Peter Stuyvesant was the governor of New Amsterdam in 1664 when the Dutch gave up control of their colony. He was a strong governor and appointed all of the important leaders in the colony. He wanted to fight the English rather than give up the colony to England, but the colonists refused to help him.

 The Dutch colonists remained in the colony of New York and lived under English rule.  A new colonial governor was appointed by King Charles II of England.  The colony continued to grow and prosper as more and more English colonists arrived, but they had little say in how they were ruled.  The English government, or Parliament, made the laws for the colony, and the governor made sure the colonists followed them.  The governor chose his own mayors and council of advisors.  They were mostly rich merchants who were friends of the English governor.

The governor gave the citizens of New York their own charter in 1862, which gave them freedom of religion and the right to a jury trial.  They could also now elect an assembly to represent themselves.  The Assembly did not represent everyone, however.  Women, men who did not own their own land, Native Americans, and enslaved African Americans could not vote.

As time went on the colonists in New York became more and more unhappy about laws that were being made by the English Parliament for the colonists to follow.  The Assembly and Parliament often disagreed.  Taxes in the colony were getting higher, and their voice in how their tax money was being spent was not being heard. They felt that their money was being spent in England and not on things they needed and wanted for their colony in America.