In this, the nation's semiquincentennial year, there is an exhibition at Circle 46 Gallery that explores the history that led up to the Declaration of Independence in 1776: From Glorious Revolution Toward Independence: America's Forgotten First Revolution.
Eighty-seven years before the Declaration of Independence, another revolution reshaped the American colonies when, in 1689, the Glorious Revolution replaced Roman Catholic King James II with his daughter, Mary II, and her husband, the Protestant Dutch William III, on England's throne.
As a result of the revolution in England, the American colonies rose up with demands for securing individual rights, no taxation without representation, and trial by jury of one's peers--demands that would be echoed in 1776.
Drawing from the Jacob Leisler Institute's collections, the exhibition on the Glorious Revolution in America places special emphasis on the New York revolt, popularly known as Leisler's Rebellion of 1689-1691. The exhibit reveals that history is complicated, many faceted, and messy, and suggests how fragile our liberties are today, how easily they can be eroded, and that we must remain vigilant in order to maintain them.
The exhibition, currently on display at Circle 46 Gallery, 46 Green Street, continues through Saturday, September 12. It is open from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays.
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