A Dollop Crossover | Ben Naddaff-Hafrey on Staten Island and the Revolutionary War
Summary
This crossover episode of Revisionist History and The Dollop explores the "Staten Island Problem," detailing how the island's residents actively resisted the American Revolution to maintain lucrative trade with the British. Hosts Dave Anthony and Ben Nadaf discuss the island's secessionist tendencies, the kidnapping of Loyalist Colonel Billup, and the chaotic local politics that kept Staten Island loyal to the Crown. The story highlights the island's enduring identity as the "forgotten borough" and its historical friction with New York City.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: ChatGPT, Odoo, Brilliant
Intro: Book promo and Dollop episode setup
Guest introduction and Staten Island context
Staten Island as the 'Forgotten Borough'
The Billup family history and land holdings
Staten Island's economic ties to the Royal Navy
Refusal to join the colonial boycott
British occupation and the Declaration of Independence
Colonel Billup's militia and loyalist role
The kidnapping of Colonel Billup by rebels
The failed rescue mission and capture of Fitz
Prisoner exchange and Billup's imprisonment
Billup's banishment and the frozen winter of 1779
British abuse of locals and militia desertion
American raids on Staten Island during the ice
British evacuation and Billup's post-war life
Conclusion and sources for the Billup story
Preview: The American Way of Killing (shooting range)
Sponsors: Just Food For Dogs, Whoop, Optimum
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