Editors’ Introduction Thomas D. Beal, D.L. Noorlander, and Susan Goodier This year the editors of New York History: A Quarterly Journal plan to commemorate transitional moments in the state’s history. Two hundred years ago, New York turned its attention toward internal improvements, and, after years of debate and political conflict, it began the long and arduous process of constructing the Erie Canal. Even before its completion, the canal transformed the state’s economy and encouraged migrants and immigrants alike to settle on the western frontier. One hundred years later, in 1917, after decades of activism and calls for reform, women won the right to vote in New York. One of the central demands of those who gathered at the Seneca Falls Convention in July 1848 was achieved at the state level. With special essays and themed issues, the editors plan to devote part of this volume (our ninety-eighth) to both events. Ranging from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, the essays in this issue focus on several transitional moments. In “‘I want a Packet to arrive,’” Rohit T. Aggarwala offers an assessment of how and why New York City became the city where Great Britain headquartered its military in the eighteenth century. The Stamp Act crisis is most often associated with Boston, but residents of New York City were equally radicalized in 1765. Afterwards, however, most historians cast the city as a loyalist stronghold. Michael D. Hattem’s essay, “As Serves our Interest best,” provides a dramatic reinterpretation of the political ideology of the years after the Stamp Act, one that challenges our assumptions about the city’s response to the imperial crisis. After the American War for Independence, New York wrestled with how to punish convicted criminals. A new emphasis on incarceration and the building of a New York State Prison on Manhattan Island (often referred to as Newgate) were two of the outcomes of that debate. Locking up convicted criminals, however, created new challenges, like overcrowding and inmate discipline. The 1803 Newgate prison riot offers Jonathan Nash, in “‘The Prison has Failed,’” an opportunity to give [End Page 5] voice to those who experienced life inside the institution. The issue’s next essay examines one moment in Al Smith’s long political history. Widely considered one of New York’s most popular and charismatic political figures, Smith lost the 1928 presidential election and even his home state. In “Vanquished Warrior,” Robert Chiles offers a revisionist interpretation that focuses on downstate voters (not the more Republican-leaning upstate districts) to explain Smith’s loss. Along with a review essay and a large number of book reviews we offer readers these thoughtful essays on New York’s history. Producing New York History is both a privilege and a challenge, and the editors cannot do it alone. Peer reviewers, colleagues, friends and especially a hardworking and committed group of Research Assistants (Waldo A. Espinosa, Tierney E. Lynch, Meagan R. Moore, Sean Prahalis, Brittany E. Williams and Jennifer A. Yung) have made valuable contributions to the issue. We thank them and the readers who have sent words of criticism or encouragement; they help us produce a better product. If you have questions or comments about the journal’s contents, we encourage you to contact us by electronic mail at publications@fenimoreart.org. [End Page 6] Copyright © 2017 Fenimore Art Museum