La Destruction de la statue royale a Nouvelle Yorck, Die zerstorung der konglichen bild saule zu Neu Yorck. Hand-colored etching. Paris: Chez Basset, ca. 1776. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (37)
[Digital ID# ppmsca-17521]
Americans Destroy a Statue of King George III
On July 9, 1776, after the Declaration of Independence was read to the American army in New York City and celebratory toasts were made, the soldiers rushed to the foot of Broadway at the Bowling Green.
As depicted in this engraving, they had the assistance of free blacks or slaves in pulling down the statue of King George III. The lead statue was later hauled to Connecticut, where it was transformed into bullets and guns.