Don't leave home without it - Safe travel on Long Island during the American Revolution required you carry one of these - a British declaration of Loyalty to King George. Traveling without it meant arrest by the British Army (there was a similar document issued by the American Continental Congress for the same purpose prior to the British occupation of Long Island). The document above was scanned from the original that resides at the Long Island Studies Institute of Hofstra University, Garden City, Long Island and was donated by William Garner Carman. Anyone interested in early Long Island History should make one of their stops at the Long Island Studies Institute.

Revolutionary activities varied depending on where you were located. Those on Long Island were isolated from the rest of the colonies by virtue of the British headquartering in New York City, and also by fact that the Long Island folks were pretty much "establishment", especially in Hempstead, and not inclined to rock the boat. Outside of Long Island was another matter. Frequent raids were made across the Long Island Sound from Connecticut on the Long Islanders.  And to add to the situation they weren't always treated the best by the British Army either.