The Flushing Remonstrance was a 1657 petition to Director-General of New Netherland Peter Stuyvesant, in which some thirty residents of the small settlement at Flushing requested an exemption to his ban on Quaker worship. It is considered a precursor to the United States Constitution's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights.
According to Kenneth T. Jackson, the Flushing Remonstrance was remarkable for three reasons:
it articulated a fundamental right that is as basic to American freedom as any other
the authors backed up their words with actions by sending it to an official not known for tolerance
they stood up for others in articulating a principle that was of little discernible benefit to themselves

1657Dec, 27
The Flushing Remonstrance is signed.
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Events on 1657
- 20Apr
Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1657)
Admiral Robert Blake destroys a Spanish silver fleet under heavy fire at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. - 20Apr
New Amsterdam
Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City). - 30Oct
Battle of Ocho Rios
Spanish forces fail to retake Jamaica at the Battle of Ocho Rios during the Anglo-Spanish War.