Although some Canadians took up arms in support of the Patriots, the majority remained loyal to the King. Other names for patriots included Sons of Liberty, Rebels, Whigs, and Colonials. Yet a better estimate would put Loyalists at about 20 percent of the population. 10. 14 Apr 2023 19:30:51 The Patriots were mainly fighting in the Revolution for political independence, cultural integrity, and for the protection of their land and property. All rights reserved. Both driving forces had many golden opportunities to win the American Revolutionary War, but the Loyalists were unable to take advantage of their chances and that is why the war was won by the Americans and not the British. As a child, he went on his business trips with him. WriteWork.com. Nonetheless, people from all socioeconomic backgrounds could be found on both sides. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Jordy McElroy. Colonists traded with all European powers equally, competing for the best profits. As the war progressed, many relocated to British strongholds within America. There was no deciding factor; instead, each person made choices on the basis of political beliefs, economic opportunity, and proximity to war. As such, loyalists saw a rebellion against England to be morally repugnant and treasonous. These Patriots rejected the lack of representation of colonists in the British Parliament and the imposition of British taxes. 12. This was a line set by the British after the French and Indian War, marking where colonists could not settle. Gregg Frazer restores the Loyalists as thoughtful participants in the debate over the American future. Countries poured money into researching alchemy to create gold out of other minerals. The truth was more complex. 3. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. George Washington's Leadership at Trenton, Saratoga & Valley Forge, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Loyalists and Patriots During the American Revolution. Voltaire was right on target when he said that there are truths that are not for all men, nor for all times. Confident that independence lay ahead, Patriots alienated many fellow colonists by resorting to violence against tax collectors and pressuring others to declare a position in this conflict. While we revere and love our mother country, her sword is opening our veins. (a) John Malcolm, a customs official loyal to the British Crown, is tarred and feathered by men in Boston in this 1774 print attributed to Philip Dawe. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Henry, Patrick) Each of these views, both loyalists and patriots has a different argument as to why the colonies should either attempt to repair their relationship with England, or fight for independence. What Happened to Loyalists After the American Revolution? Most Loyalists identified as pacifists and were morally unable to choose a side, owing to their religious beliefs. The British heavily controlled economic conditions in the colonies, specifically when it came to trade rights, taxation, manufacturing, etc. After all, history is on their side. As citizens, they were inspired by Enlightenment ideals and the new language of liberty. New York City and Long Island were the British military and political bases of operations in North America from 1776 to 1783 and maintained a large concentration of Loyalists, many of whom were refugees from other states. "What would you rather be a Loyalist or a Patriot? Married women generally chose the same side as their husbands. Another reason is that there were so many similarities between the British and their American colonistslanguage, culture, educationthat it didn't make much sense to want to break free from the mother country. The state established small reservations in western New York for the remnant peoples. They saw the tarring and feathering of English officials, the burning of property, and the firing on English soldiers to be barbarous acts that they could not support. Being a Loyalist means that you are "rooting" for the team that is likely to win. The Patriots had many benefits and they knew how to take advantage of them as well. The South leaned more towards the Loyalists while the Patriots were stronger in the North. In fact, Lord Dunmores Proclamation was the first mass emancipation of enslaved people in United States history. King Philip's War Overview & Significance | What was King Philip's War? By July 4, 1776, Patriots controlled most of the territory within the 13 colonies and had expelled all royal officials. 135 lessons Loyalism was particularly strong in the Province of Quebec. But their willingness to do business with Britain led to resentment and mistreatment by the Patriots. (This was between 3 and 4 percent of the total number of settlers in the colonies, which is estimated at 2,500,0003,000,000 during the Revolutionary period.) Enslaved Africans and African Americans usually chose to support the British cause. They fought in the Revolution's earliest battles, but in 1775, Washington banned the enlistment or reenlistment of free blacks. William had always done everything with his dad. Loyalist was a term used to . There were many reasons why people joined the Patriot side in this war. 5. "Identity is an enormously personal and political part of language," he said. For years it was widely believed that . Mac Jones might be real reason Bill O'Brien returned to New England. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Updates? New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Small all-black units were formed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and many slaves were promised freedom for serving. Many loyalists at first urged moderation in the struggle for colonial rights and were only driven into active loyalism by radical fellow colonists who denounced as Tories all who would not join them. Although the British had the worlds best equipped and the most disciplined army, they were not as well prepared to fight compared to the Patriots army, which might have been a key factor in the British losing the war. Crispus Attucks worked as a . Aside from Crown officials, who did generally side with what they called . Well-educated doctors, lawyers, and newspaper publishers all could be found on both sides. In September 1776, loyalists flocked to New York after the British defeated George Washington and took control of Manhattan. cityboyry11 cityboyry11 11/12/2021 English Middle School . Despite William's attempts, the two never reconciled. The extensive trade networks protected by the British Empire were indeed good for global commerce. Discuss the decision people made to be a Loyalist or a Patriot using social, political, and economic reasons. Latest answer posted May 29, 2019 at 11:21:48 AM. The two never spoke again. Treason is punishable by death. A historian might use the sentiments from the excerpt provided to support the. Why? Another popular name for Patriot was Whig. Historians estimate that about 40-45% of white men were patriots. He fears an independent America could not protect his ships at sea; Loyalists tended to be upper middle class, educated elites; their social identity was woven to that of the crown. Native Americans who chose a side tended to be Loyalists, since the Proclamation Line had demonstrated Britain's willingness to respect their interests. They made up about 15-20% of the white male population. George Washington issued an order to recruiters in July 1775, ordering them not to enroll any deserter from the Ministerial army, nor any stroller, negro or vagabond. This order, however, was eventually reneged when manpower shortages forced the Continental Army to diversify their ranks. Essay by Many African Americans who left with Loyalists for Jamaica or St. Augustine after the war never gained their freedom. Military expeditions on each side destroyed villages and food supplies to reduce the ability of people to fight, as in the frequent raids by both sides in the Mohawk Valley and western New York. legislative body that "reflected the authority of England"1 and the State. Some people truly believed in the ideas of the Revolution. This prompted the British to offer freedom to any slaves who fought for the king, encouraging slaves throughout the colonies to run away and join the Loyalists. Even though they had a lot, there were some things the British lacked. Free Blacks overwhelmingly supported the Loyalists because that gave them opportunities elsewhere in the British empire. These individuals were called loyalists. from Dordt University. During the American Revolution, colonists like Benjamin Franklin who supported republicanism and eventually, independence, came to be known as Patriots. African Americans also served extensively on British vessels and were considered more willing and able than their British counterparts on the deck. For example, during early 1775 in the South Carolina backcountry, Loyalist recruitment outpaced that of the Patriots. If they chose to rebel and then lost the fight, they would have been severely punished, so it made some sense to remain loyal. In the eighteenth century, during the American Revolutionary War, there were two opposing sides fighting against each other, the Patriots and the Loyalists. Although Samuel Seabury might not be a household name, fans of the musical Hamilton should be able to identify him. The Patriots rebelled against the British control, while the Loyalists, also known as "Tories" to the Patriots, remained loyal to the British crown. Maryland freed slaves who volunteered to fight, whereas in New England, a slave could only earn freedom if his owner sent the slave to serve in his place. flashcard sets. A system of mercantilism limited the colonists legal trade options and, therefore, their profits. During the war, British strategy relied heavily upon the misguided belief that the Loyalist community could be mobilized into Loyalist regiments. What were Loyalists in the American Revolution? Native Americans worried that American Patriots would abolish the line, should they win the war. From the beginning, Loyalists opposed the war because they did not want America to get its independence and depend on Britain for various needs. Patriots were those who believed in independence for the American colonists and/or freedom from oppression. lack of united feelings about American independence, high literacy rates among the colonies compared with other places in the world, likelihood of men to discuss current events in the eighteenth century, extreme enthusiasm for revolution without regard for the consequences. The Loyalists were afraid of the soldiers. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. She has a BSEd in English Education. Which group would most likely support the argument in the excerpt provided? Latest answer posted June 21, 2017 at 5:37:38 AM. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973. They were not confined to any particular group or class, but their numbers were strongest among the following groups: officeholders and others who served the British crown and had a vested interest in . Web. Loyalists were those who remained loyal to British rule, while Patriots supported colonial independence and self-rule within the context of the American Revolutionary War. At the start of the Revolution, Americans faced an important decision: would they side with the Patriots, or would they remain loyal to Great Britain? An error occurred trying to load this video. But a divided household (when a patriot woman's husband was a loyalist) was legal grounds for divorce. Loyalists had good reason to oppose a push for independence. New York was their stronghold and had more than any other colony. You get to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of that victory. $= However, many others were abandoned in the South to re-enslavement, and a few were transported to plantations in the British West Indies as slaves. It is also possible that some loyalists saw independence as an inevitability that could be achieved through peaceful means instead of open rebellion. First off, the colonists were all British citizens and considered themselves to be Englishmen and Englishwomen. BRIs Comprehensive US History digital textbook, BRIs primary-source civics and government resource, BRIs character education narrative-based resource. The Bill of Rights Institute teaches civics. American Indians led a coordinated attack on frontier outposts, stunning the British troops there. What hardships did the colonists face during the Revolutionary War? The Declaration of Independence was a turning point that decided for each of these groups who they would support in the Revolution. George Washington detested them, saying as early as 1776 that they were even higher and more insulting in their opposition than the regulars.. The expedition failed to have the desired effect, as American Indian activity became even more determined. But the from long-staples cotton in two ways: Its seeds What would you rather be a Loyalist or a Patriot? Patriots were fighting for the right to self-rule the colonies and to obtain freedom from British oppression. hb```wB ?0zPv@! Patriots would immediately realize their mistake and become Loyalists once again. Poor farmers, craftsmen, and small merchants, influenced by the ideas of social equality expressed in works like Thomas Paine's Common Sense, were more likely to be Patriots. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2008. They also were loyal to the monarchy and had been faithful British citizens for their entire lives. British colonists are British citizens. The primary concerns for many were the Enlightenment ideals of freedom and liberty. Historians estimate that between 15 and 20 percent of European-American colonists supported the Crown; some historians estimate that as much as one third of the population was sympathetic to the British, if not vocally. The Loyalists maintained these beliefs throughout the Revolution and remained loyal to the British government. They also believed that they were better taken care of under British rule. Many African Americans, believing that the Patriot cause would one day result in an expansion of their own civil rights and even the abolition of slavery, had already joined militia regiments at the beginning of the war. The Patriots are the people that are rebelling against their home government. You can be a part of this exciting work by making a donation to The Bill of Rights Institute today! 4. For many years leading up to the Revolution, there was great optimism that Parliament would change for the better. But eventually, his father was won completely to the Patriot cause and put pressure on William to quit his job and join them. Use this Decision Point with theThomas Paine,Common Sense, 1776Primary Source to allow students to analyze the divide of colonists over loyalty to the crown. The departure of royal officials, rich merchants, and landed gentry destroyed the hierarchical networks that thrived in the colonies. The strongest case for their position, as Frasier points out, came from clergymen. Benjamin Franklin, a newspaper publisher and Enlightenment scientist, became a Patriot. How did the United States gain its independence from Britain? The loyalists did not rise as a body to support the British army, but individuals did join the army or form their own guerrilla units. They had the advantage of fighting on their own grounds and also had a vast militia to cover their whole territory. Loyalism was particularly strong in the Province of Quebec. But if they went their separate way, then America's prosperity could be seriously jeopardized. Back in the Colonial days, there were many reasons people would choose to be loyal to the British government or to be patriotic and attempt to establish a new nation. Groups such as Scotch-Irish immigrants in the newly settled backcountry regions leaned Loyalist at times because they opposed the eastern elites who ran the colonies. Married women typically joined their husbands' side. After the Revolution, his father disowned him, saying that if England had won, there wouldn't have been any inheritance for William, anyway. The American Revolution (1765-1791 time period, with official war dates between 1775 and 1783) made colonists choose sides between groups called Loyalists or Patriots. Whitneyp8604 Whitneyp8604 11/02/2021 Social Studies Middle School answered Option: Students can share their reasons out loud or share with a partner. Prominent merchants in port cities and men with business or family ties to the elite class in Great Britain tended to remain loyal to the Crown, whereas Patriots were comprised largely of yeoman farmers. Colonists had a lot of conflicting loyalties and legitimate fears. When sizable numbers of those elites became Patriots and led the government, some Protestant religious minorities and recently settled farmers decided that they trusted a far-off king more than the local elites, who were more likely to enact policies for the benefit of easterners than those who lived in the west. About 12,000 black loyalists aided the British in the hopes of achieving freedom. Some saw the Patriot leaders as opportunists who were hoping to profit politically or financially by cutting ties with Great Britain. His business imports many products from Europe, especially Britain. To recommend reverence for the monarch, or affection for the mother country? How did the American Revolution function as a civil war? As many as one-third of the colonists at the time of the American Revolution remained loyal to Great Britain. Anyone who believes oaths to the Constitution can be broken at will, for any reason, is not a loyal patriot, PERIOD. 1. Prominent early Patriots include Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and George Washington. They also thought a goverment run by Patriots would be worse than the King. They had family in England and they didn't want to put them in danger. 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