During the American Revolution, the American colonists had to decide to support the War for Independence or remain loyal to the British and King George III. Some Americans could not decide which side to choose and remained neutral during the war. Most American colonists, however, did choose sides. Those who supported independence from Britain were known as Patriots. Colonists who opposed independence from Britain were known as Loyalists. Most Patriots supported independence because they felt that recent British laws on the American Colonies violated their rights as British citizens. This included taxing without consent, quartering soldiers in citizens’ homes, and denying colonists the right to a trial. Most Loyalists who opposed independence tended to be wealthy landowners, clergymen, or people with business or political ties to Britain. Some believed that the British government had the right to ask the colonies to pay half the cost of their own defense. When the colonies refused to do so through their elected assemblies, some Loyalists thought the British Parliament had a …show more content…
Many Loyalists agreed that the American colonists had suffered at the hands of the British, but the Loyalist hoped that a peaceful reconciliation with British government was possible. Loyalists were brutally attacked and killed. Their property was destroyed or taken away. Many loyalists left the American Colonies for their own safety. Some Loyalists moved to England or to nearby Canada. Those living in the American colonies had various reasons for choosing their side. Most of the Iroquois Native Americans, had a working relationship with British officials. They were angered by colonists pushing into their territory and sided with Britain. For example, if a Patriot landowner was cruel and always raised the rent, the tenant would be a Loyalist. If the Patriot landowner was kind and collected a fair rent, the tenant would be a
The war seemed to separate the colonists into three separate groups. Ones that were loyal to Britain, which were called “loyalists”. Most loyalists had “business ties” with Britain and saw being on Britain’s side of the war as being “defenders”. While other loyalists despised those that rebelled and assumed their reason to rebel was to obtain more money from the empire. The second group was with George Washington called the “Patriots”, who were fighting for the freedom from Britain, and the third group were people that were trying to go about their lives and not get involved in the war. Though slaves were asked to participate in the war, most went to Britain’s side in exchange for freedom. In 1775, Washington and his army win the battle at Saratoga and this ultimately wins over France as an
During the American Revolution, people had to decide which side to support. Colonists for independence from England were usually called revolutionaries or whigs. But some Americans thought that to break away from the British government would not be right; they usually were called loyalists or tories.
Even though America was now completely self-sufficient, there were still people loyal to England. Often referred to as the "Tories", they did not want to abandon their parent country. The loyalists believed that America would never survive without England's protection and guidance. Mather Byles said, "...which is better, to be ruled by one tyrant three thousand miles away, or by three thousand tyrants not a mile away." (The Famous Mather Byles). People like him believed that creating a separate government in America would not solve any problems, but only create more new ones. Others preached that it is a shame to leave their parent country. However, since the loyalists made up a small percentage of the population and were generally rich, the majority of people rarely favored their ideas. Prior to the breakout of the Revolution, many Tories had been tarred and feathered, beaten, or were subjected to other forms of punishment.
At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists or King’s Men. Patriots called them “Persons inimical of the liberties of America.” The Patriots, those who supported the revolution, opposed them. 15% of the loyalists or 65,000-70,000 fled to other parts of the British Empire (SFI five, HISTORY.com). Patriots, who were also known as Rebels, Revolutionaries, Continentals or American-Whigs. They were those colonists of the Thirteen Colonies who violently rebelled against British control during the American Revolution and in July 1776 declared the United States of America an independent
One raid on the American South was so serious Colonel John Baker had to surrender to the British. Soon after the attack the American Revolutionary War was almost about to happen. Some loyalists remained well..loyal to the British during that time period. The 2 sides as in the east and west side were very royal colonies.
Being subjected to public humilation in front of massive crowds with harsh punishments, the loyalists found themselves in a tough predicament between the radicals and their independence from Britian while the loyalists thought differently. Most of the loyalists found their properties vandalized, looted and burned by angry mobs of men. There was no doubt that the patriots of the thirteen colonies controlled the public discourse. There was bound to be a revolt against the British by the patriots because they didn’t agree against the policies imposed by the British parliament. The patriots of “The New World” have a much more logical reasoning than the loyalists because they felt that the British parliament was in
American colonists were justified after their separation from Great Britain and gaining independence. At first, the colonists didn’t mind being apart of the British colonies. However, colonists were upset at the fact that the British were abusing their power and being unjust. Soon later, with the help of Enlightenment views from several American philosophers, the colonists wanted to break free from the British crown’s chains.
Loyalists In between 1760 and 1800, conflict ensued between Great Britain and the American colonies, now the United States. Because of certain events and documents, those who had not chosen a side would have benefitted more if indecisive individuals become loyal to the British crown. Those who obeyed to Great Britain were known as loyalists, or, according to the DBQ Theme assignment, “Tories.” The unsure colonists would benefit more if converting to loyalists because of Great Britain’s power and strength, economic superiority, and that the patriots are of barbaric and violent nature.
In Walter Edgar’s Partisans & Redcoats written in 2001 stated that “ In 1760 the Cherokee, urged on by the French, launched an attack on the frontier settlements. In a panic, frontier families abandoned their homes for the safety of scattered forts. With the assistance of British troops, South Carolina eventually was able to defeat the Cherokee.” (Document B) The British came to America's rescue when they were being attacked by the Cherokee saving them from elimination. During the American Revolution, the Patriots and the Lowcountry loyalists had a pledge of neutrality from the prominent backcountry leaders and helped the Patriots when needed. Walter Edgar in Partisans & Redcoats. Xiii states that “Initially the revolutionaries obtained a grudging pledge of neutrality from prominent backcountry leaders, Then, late in 1775, patriots imprisoned leading backcountry Tories, and in response, Tory militia units attacked patriot troops. In savage fighting that would presage the brutal nature of the American Revolution in South Carolina, the Tory uprising was suppressed”. (Document G) The Lowcountry betrayed the backcountry loyalists breaking the pledge of neutrality that the backcountry leaders sign and imprisoned them. The Tories fought back only to fall short in their battle against the Patriots. The Lowcountry patriots betrayed the backcountry loyalists, making the loyalists hesitant about joining the American Revolution after what the Lowcountry
Many people who lived in the colonies were not English; they were German, Dutch, Swedish, Jewish, Scots-Irish, and French. Some people were a mixture of many different ethnic groups. This “mixed” group of people, which could not be found anywhere else in the world, that united to fight for their rights led to the creation of a separate identity (from Britain). The British thought that this “open Rebellion” was unjustifiable and that the colonists had no reason to turn against their mother country, who “…protected them against the Ravages of their Enemies…” (Document F). The American colonists insisted that they were still loyal to Great Britain (even though they fought against British troops at times) and did not want to “…dissolve that union which has so long and so happily subsisted…” (Document E). They pledged their loyalty to Great Britain by sending the Olive Branch Petition to King George III in 1775. The rejection of this peace request led many American colonists, who only wanted to secure their rights, to desire complete independence (from Great Britain). The American colonists were willing to do anything to keep their rights, and in the end, they realized that they would have to unite and separate from Great Britain in order to be free. During this time, Richard Henry Lee, the fourteenth President of the Continental Congress, stated that “…all
After 1776 Loyalists felt the urge to remain allies with Great Britain. This urge came from their own sense of protection and personal gain. Although other American colonists choose a different political standpoint, they were Patriots. They lived for independence and liberty away from the power of the king of Great Britain. However Loyalists supported the king and the traditional ways of Great Britain. American colonists would support Great Britain as Loyalists for their own sense of safety in the colonies, as an escape from embarrassment and failure, and for their own prosperity economically and emotionally. Having the fear of losing their sense of honor and rank, they decided to continue serving Great Britain as Loyalists.
Hook. Both during and before The Revolutionary War happened, Britain killed many of the Patriots who fought against independence from Britain. King George III made laws that took advantage of the colonists and Britain did not give them equal rights. The Patriots were justified in seeking independence from England, because England abused the colonists, capitalized on them, and controlled their rights.
Most of the loyalists served the British in the American Revolution (1775-1783).As American rebels fought for independence from Britain, Loyalists supported Britain for many different reasons. A lot of loyalists felt a personal loyalty to Britain. Some were afraid that revolution would bring chaos to America. Numerous amounts of loyalists agreed with the rebels’ view that Britain has mistreated America, but believed the solution could be worked out within the British Empire. Recent immigrants from Europe also tended to support the Crown.
In addition the Colonists wanted independence from Great Britain because the king created an unreasonable taxes. Of course was unreasonable because that is what the king wanted He wanted to make the taxes unreasonable so he could get the money. The Patriots lived in Jamestown,Virginia in 1607. Now what did they do? Well they decided to do crafting and trading which was popular back then so that they could get money. Secondly , they created juries of men called “ Committees of Safety”. Finally, they wanted to resist by boycotting or not buying British goods. To put it that way they basically stopped buying British goods so the British will not get as money as they used to do. Now let us talk about the Loyalists
Only a tiny fraction of the books written on the American Revolution are devoted to the loyalists — the residents of the 13 colonies who chose to leave their homes rather than become citizens of the new republic. Such a nation-bound approach to the writing of American history implies that the lives of those who left were not significant. Yet they were, and Maya Jasanoff, who teaches history at Harvard, has provided a richly informative account of those who made the choice to embrace imperial Britain. As earlier historians of the Revolution have pointed out, the loyalists tended to have strong connections to the imperial administration, belong to the Anglican Church and possess close business or family ties to Britain. But not all who left fitted