Tri-State 250: Our legacy of liberty

Students across the Tri-State Area are learning more about the Founding Fathers through the Broadway musical "Hamilton." CBS News New York's Dave Carlin reports on the program that's teaching kids a history lesson through song.

Anna Strong, a revolutionary patriot, was one of the first female spies in the Culper Spy Ring on Long Island. CBS News New York's Mary Calvi tells us about her legacy. 

Right in Brooklyn, the Continental Army scored one of its greatest triumphs out of a crashing defeat. 

The oldest bar and restaurant in New York City served as a gathering place for patriots during the Revolutionary War.  

Before there was a Brooklyn, there was a flagpole, and since the earliest days of our country, it stood as a symbol of freedom and self-determination.

It's still drawing crowds and historians more than two centuries later.

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The Battle of Brooklyn was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War after the Declaration of Independence.  

Benedict Arnold was a hero for the American cause until he sold out the country, providing detailed plans to the British. Arnold committed "treason of the blackest dye," which is a phrase recorded in a logbook at West Point. 

A secret group of agents on Long Island used forms of espionage to inform the Americans about what the British were up to. Historical experts say it "turned the tide of the American Revolution."

The British created war prisons on ships after they won the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776. They were known as "hell ships." The conditions were terrible with bugs, overcrowding and disease. 

Federal Hall played a major role in the nation's history. The building on Wall Street was the meeting place of the first Congress, where the Bill of Rights was drafted, and the executive branches were established. George Washington also took the oath as the first president at Federal Hall. 

Fort Putnam at West Point became critical against enemy ships during the American Revolution. This layered defense, about 50 miles north of New York City, was named the most important post by George Washington. 

Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" is one of the all-time best-selling books in American history. It was read at establishments across New York and New Jersey, including Fraunces Tavern, which still stands today.

Margaret Corbin became a military hero during the American Revolution. She was helping her husband load a cannon when he was injured during the Battle of Fort Washington in 1776. CBS News New York's Mary Calvi shares how she bravely took over. 

The Battle of Stony Point was a nighttime raid where American troops defeated the British in Rockland County, New York. The men snuck up on them and killed or captured the entire British regiment. 

A huge statue of King George once stood in Bowling Green in lower Manhattan. It was toppled in 1776 once news of the Declaration of Independence reached New York City. 

Relics from the statue currently live at the Fraunces Tavern Museum. CBS News New York's Mary Calvi takes us there.

St. Paul's Church in Mount Vernon was a critical hospital during the Revolutionary War for both the American and British armies. CBS News New York's Tony Aiello brings us there and shows the old surgical tools used. 

As we celebrate America's 250th anniversary, we take a look back on a farewell from George Washington to his troops in 1783.

The Declaration of Dependence was signed by a group of New Yorkers who pledged loyalty to the crown. Mary Calvi shows us the petition, housed in the archives of The New York Historical. 

Almost 2,500 soldiers crossed an ice-choked river into New Jersey, which changed the course of the American Revolution. It's now lauded as the best strategic decision during the war. 

A massive chain link was installed across the Hudson River to prevent the British Navy from advancing during the American Revolution. Mary Calvi shares this piece of history and gets an up-close look at the chain on display at Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh. 

Historians believe 10 crucial days in New Jersey made the difference between victory and defeat in the American Revolutionary War. The Continental Army crossed the icy Delaware River into New Jersey, followed by significant victories at two battles. 

The Philipsburg Proclamation was signed in New York in the 1770s. It was signed by a British general and promised freedom to any enslaved person who took refuge behind British lines. Mary Calvi takes us to Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site in Yonkers, where the document is on display.

A mystery still remains from 250 years ago. Named the Great Fire of 1776, the inferno was so large it burned a fifth of New York City to the ground. To this day, the question of whether or not it was sabotage lingers. Watch Mary's full report in the video above.