Mount Defiance (New York) facts for kids

See Fort Ticonderoga from Mount Defiance, with Lake Champlain in the background.

Mount Defiance as seen from Fort Ticonderoga. The LaChute River is on the right, leading to Lake George. Lake Champlain is on the left.

Mount Defiance is a hill in New York State, located near Lake Champlain in the northeastern United States. It stands about 853 ft (260 m) tall. This hill is very important because it overlooks two famous forts: Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence.

Even though Mount Defiance offered a great view of these forts, people thought it was too hard to reach. Because of this, it was never built up with defenses. Long ago, Mount Defiance was also known as Sugar Loaf.

Mount Defiance: A Key Hill in History

Mount Defiance played a big role during the American Revolutionary War. In 1777, during the Siege of Fort Ticonderoga, the British army found a way to move their heavy cannons, called artillery, to the top of Mount Defiance.

This was a huge surprise for the American soldiers defending the forts. With British cannons aimed down at them, the Americans had to leave both Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence without a fight. This showed how important the hill's location was.

Where is Mount Defiance?

Mount Defiance is found in the town of Ticonderoga. This area is in southeastern Essex County, New York. Its exact location is 43°49′53″N 73°24′24″W / 43.83139°N 73.40667°W / 43.83139; -73.40667.