This Day In Founders History – 27 August

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This Day In Founders History – 27 August

On this day in 1776, the Battle of Brooklyn in New York (also called the Battle of Long Island or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights) began, with British forces led by General William Howe and American forces led by General Washington. Fighting would continue for two days before General Washington and his troops would retreat. This was the first major battle during the Revolutionary War after America had declared its independence.

August 27, 1962, the 24^th Amendment to the United States Constitution was proposed. The 24^th Amendment would end the poll tax, specifically: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.”

One notable birthday on this day in history in 1724, that of John Joachim Zubly, a Calvinist minister, revolutionary pamphleteer and representative from Georgia to the Second Continental Congress. Zubly’s pamphlets were passionately defensive of the colonies, compared by some historians to writings of Thomas Jefferson. Once Zubly started his term in the Continental Congress, however, he was opposed to American independence and opposed the embargos on British goods. Once he returned to Georgia, Zubly was branded a traitor and arrested in 1776. He was banished and half of his property was confiscated, and his voluminous personal library destroyed.

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