View source for Sodomy law: The Duke of York's Laws; March 1, 1665

== death for sodomy ==


In 1664 the English conquered the Dutch New Netherland Colony and it became a proprietary colony of the Duke of York.<ref>{{GLA}}, p.105-6, George Straughton and others, eds., ''Charter to William Penn, and Laws of the Province of Pennsylvania'' (Harrisburg, Pa.: Lane S. Hart, 1879), p. 14. Also see Charles M. Andrews, ''The Colonial Period of American History'' (New Haven: 1934-38), vol. 3, pp. 106-07, 116-17.</ref>


On March 1, 1665, at Hempstead, Long Island, representatives from several towns approved the code of laws drawn up by the duke's agent. These laws, which closely followed New England precedent in their wording, went into effect in what became the New York and New Jersey colonies, and in the Pennsylvania Colony [[The Duke of York's Laws: September 25, 1676|in 1676]].


Eleven capital crimes were listed in the Duke of York's laws of 1665. These included: (1) blasphemy, (2) remeditated murder, (3) murder of a defenseless victim, (4) conspiracy to murder, (5) bestiality, (6) sodomy, (7) man-stealing, (8) perjury to take a life, (9) treason, (10) insurrection, and (11) children over sixteen smiting their parents.


The sodomy provision read:

<blockquote>If any man lyeth with mankind as he lyeth with a woman, they shall be put to Death, unless the one party were Forced or be under fourteen Years of age, in which Case he shall be punished at the Discretion of the Court of Assizes.</blockquote>

This law was next revised when New York became a royal province in 1711.<ref>{{RR}} Add documentation and citation.</ref>


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== References ==

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{{Curated Exhibit|exhibit name and link=[[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin]]|firstname=Jonathan Ned|lastname=Katz}}

[[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]]
[[Category:American Colonial Era (1607-1776)]]
[[Category:Duke of York]]
[[Category:Hempstead - Long Island]]
[[Category:Law]]
[[Category:New Netherland Colony]]
[[Category:New Jersey Colony]]
[[Category:New York Colony]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania Colony
[[Category:Sodomy]]
[[Category:Sodomy Law]]
[[Category:1660-1669]]
[[Category:17th century]]