The British occupation of New York City began on September 15, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after British forces under General William Howe defeated George Washington’s Continental Army at the Battle of Long Island and the subsequent Battle of Kip’s Bay. The city became the British military and political headquarters in North America for the rest of the war. Under occupation, New York served as a base for Loyalist activity and British operations, but it also suffered from fires, overcrowding, and harsh conditions for prisoners of war. The British held the city until November 25, 1783, when they evacuated following the Treaty of Paris.