what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution

It was not until 1822 that the first public school opened its doors to the city's Black children, and by 1838, more than 40 percent of possible students were still not receiving regular instruction. This professionally trained Continental Army would serve as the backbone of the American war effort with militia providing support when possible. From newspapers of the time, we can assert that the independence movement was centered in New England with a great deal of certainty. Most were compensated with Canadian land or British cash distributed through formal claims procedures. To paraphrase the historian Carl Becker, the American Revolution was both a war ultimately for Independence, but also about the nature of the American nation which would emerge after the war. [44] Britain in any case built up powerful forces at the naval base of Halifax after the failure of Jonathan Eddy to capture Fort Cumberland in 1776. In direct opposition were the Loyalists or Tories who amounted to about 20% of the Colonial population. John K. Robertson looks at this very issue of militia size in the Journal of the American Revolution in 2016. [68], The departure of so many royal officials, rich merchants and landed gentry destroyed the hierarchical networks that had dominated most of the colonies. They wanted to take a middle-of-the-road position and were not pleased when forced by Patriots to declare their opposition. Their stated membership at that time was about 5% Nearly 40% of the colonists were neither Patriot nor Loyalist, but neutral. (ebscohost)., Common Sense ended up becoming so popular that "as a percentage of a population," it was "read . Required fields are marked *. These people were the type that were either pacifists, recent immigrants, or simply apolitical. It is a debatable fact since the number of Loyalists would have [67] In Connecticut much to the disgust of the Radical Whigs the moderate Whigs were advertising in New York newspapers in 1782-83 that Tories who would make no trouble would be welcome on the grounds that their skills and money would help the State's economy. According to Robert Calhoon, between 40 and 45 percent of the white population in the Thirteen Colonies supported the Patriots' cause, between 15 and 20 percent supported the Loyalists, and the remainder were neutral or kept a low profile. Roberts, . Many of them lost their homes and businesses. . During the war, pardons were offered to Loyalists who switched sides and joined the Patriot forces. The remains of their regiment were then involved in the evacuation of Norfolk, after which they served in the Chesapeake area. Many of them served under the British during the American Revolution (1775-1783). These people were the type that were either pacifists, recent immigrants, or simply apolitical. In the debates which followed, the great contemporary American historian Mercy Otis Warren focused on one event as a day that would "live in infamy," although Franklin D. Roosevelt and his speechwriters gave her no credit when they expropriated that phrase on December 8, 1941. The British, however, assumed a highly activist Loyalist community was ready to mobilize and planned much of their strategy around raising Loyalist regiments. The American Revolution as civil war, "An Imperial Disaster? The "well-known" letter of Adams was to James Lloyd, dated January, 1813. Written so many years after the American Revolution, it becomes clear that Adams was actually discussing American opinion about England and the French Revolution during his presidency, 1797-1801: "The middle third, composed principally of the yeomanry, the soundest part of the nation, and always averse to war, were [sic] rather lukewarm both to England and France.". Religious practice suffered in certain places because of the absence of ministers and the destruction of churches, but in other areas, religion flourished. Though not all colonists supported violent rebellion, historians estimate that approximately 45 percent of the white population supported the Patriots' cause or identified as Patriots; 15-20 percent favored the British Crown; and the remainder of the population chose not to take a vocal position in the conflict. The Boston Patriots. They were wary that chaos, corruption, and mob rule would come about as a result of revolution. While only about 19,000 of them actually fought in the war, they made the conflict much more bitter by splitting the society into opposing camps. The great majority of Loyalists never left the United States; they stayed on and were allowed to be citizens of the new country. "Enduring Patterns of Loyalist Study: Definitions and Contours", Kermes, Stephanie. Unlike the Civil War, which pitted regions against each other, the war of independence pitted neighbor against neighbor. Despite this, the Patriots were much more successful at persuading these Neutralists towards their cause. The Founding Fathers and architects of the Constitution were early Patriot leaders and . 50,000 British soldiers Most history experts today think that about twenty percent of the colonists supported Britain. Source: Political cartoon - Join or Die May 9, 1754 Pennsylvania . Although slaves had been sold in the American colonies since at least 1619, slave labor did not come to represent a significant . The British removed their governors from colonies where the Patriots were in control, but Loyalist civilian government was re-established in coastal Georgia[23] from 1779 to 1782, despite the presence of Patriot forces in the northern part of Georgia. This map shows the plan of Boston in 1775, at the height of the Revolution. What was Britain's reaction to the Boston Tea Party? Loyalists who stayed in the US were generally able to retain their property and become American citizens. Originally our estimates were based on John Adams who wrote that 1/3 supported independence 1/3 supported the crown and 1/3 were uncommitted. What were the colonists who supported the American Revolution called? 40 percent of the American The legislature named 232 Loyalists liable for the confiscation of their property, but most appealed and were forgiven. Please feel free to fill out our Contact Form. The exiles amounted to about 2% of the total US population of 3 million at the end of the war in 1783. To read more on what we're all about, learn more about us here. and the estimated 55,000 who served on American Privateers. Another small group in terms of percentage were the dedicated patriots, for whom there was no alternative but independence. The 13 colonies during the Revolutionary War-era were: Province of New Hampshire Province of Massachusetts Bay Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Connecticut Colony Province of New York Province of New Jersey Who opposed the American Revolution? They felt that rebellion against the Crown the legitimate government was morally wrong. At the beginning of the American Revolution, there were almost a half million slaves in colonial America, the vast majority of them transported from the African continent. In terms of numbers: 40,000 soldiers fought in the Battle of Long Island, making it the largest battle. Historians estimate that one-third of colonists supported the American Revolution, . The Intolerable Acts were designed to punish the Massachusetts colonists for the Boston Tea Party. American war for independence. "[59] In response, the colony of New Brunswick, until 1784 part of Nova Scotia, was created for the 14,000 who had settled in those parts. This forced the Patriots to also offer freedom to those who would serve in the Continental Army, with thousands of Black Patriots serving in the Continental Army. Woodrow Wilson wrote that "there had been no less than twenty-five thousand loyalists enlisted in the British service during the five years of the fighting. Nelson. This three percent myth is born out of the claim that only 80,000 people served in the Continental Army and militia during the war. Of the 46,000 who went to Canada, 10,000 went to Quebec, especially what is now modern-day Ontario, the rest to Nova Scotia and PEI. businesses within the British-controlled areas that dared not As a result, more people who lived through the American Revolution knew someone who died or lost someone in the war, than in any war we have fought since. What percent of colonists supported the American Revolution? Prior to the Revolution, colonists who supported British authority called themselves Tories or royalists, . By comparing the frequency of these events, where they occurred, and who was involved we can get a reasonable idea of how the population was divided. 9240 views Perhaps the most significant external aspect of this year's celebration is that the United States is now involved in an intervention ostensibly to bring Democracy to Iraq. John Graves Simcoe, 1752-1806: A biography. Most became involved in the conflict, directly or indirectly, though the . Patriots felt that the recent British laws enacted on American colonies were unfair and violated their rights. It is not valid to average New England together with the South. [citation needed]. Northern Loyalists largely migrated to Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. [34][35] About 400 to 1,000 free blacks who joined the British side in the Revolution went to London and joined the free black community of about 10,000 there. What the evidence shows is that the war was very popular among Americans, who did turn out to fight hard for their freedom, participating in rates much higher than what you see from other countries in their wars. Nearly 40% of the colonists were neither Patriot nor Loyalist, but neutral. Most American colonists, however, did choose sides. In another migration-motivated mainly by economic rather than political reasons-[57] more than 20,000 and perhaps as many as 30,000 "Late Loyalists" arrived in Ontario in the 1790s attracted by Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe's policy of land and low taxes, one-fifth those in the US and swearing an oath[when?] [2], Patriots watched suspected Loyalists very closely and would not tolerate any organized Loyalist opposition. Ultimately, some 5,000 blacks bore arms for the United States, approximately 5 percent of the total number of men who served in the Continental Army. The best numbers about who supported whom come from historian Robert Calhoon: 20 percent Loyalist, 45 percent Patriot, and 35 percent undecided. ", Calhoon, Robert M. "Loyalism and neutrality" in Jack P. Greene and. "The Loyalists and the American Revolution. First of all, lacking a border with the Indian population, the age requirement for Connecticut in 1774 was much lower than other states (the maximum age fell from 60 to 45). How many British soldiers fought in American Revolution? Most history experts today think that about twenty percent of the colonists supported Britain. Those who favored independence from Great Britain were called Patriots. Some information about the incomes of colonists shows that there was generally a wide income gap. Loyalists were sympathetic to the British cause and willing to either fight against their fellow colonists, or maintain ties with Britain via trade or military support. Unlike the Civil War, which pitted regions against each other, the war of independence pitted neighbor against neighbor. When looking back at the outset of the American Revolution most assume that the colonies were united in their quest for independence. Sure there were some loyalists who sided with the British, but a vast majority supported independence. ", "Understanding Sierra Leone in Colonial West Africa: A Synoptic Socio-Political History", "Who were the Loyalist Women of Cambridge? Calhoon, "Loyalism and neutrality", p. 235; Middlekauff (2005) pp. [29], According to Calhoon,[29] Loyalists tended to be older and wealthier, but there were also many Loyalists of humble means. On the Fence Often overlooked are the fence-sitters who made up the largest group. Americans who embraced both beliefs and could not choose a side were called Neutrals. Some were pessimists who did not display the same belief in the future that the Patriots did. "Loyalist Historiography. "[1], Prominent Loyalists repeatedly assured the British government that many thousands of them would spring to arms and fight for the crown. [38] This created an awkward dilemma for the confiscation committees: confiscating the land of such a woman would punish her for her husband's actions. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? Many active Church of England members became Loyalists. ", "Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment - The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed", "Only 1/3 of Americans Supported the American Revolution? [60], The post-nominals "U.E." [61] However, a law enacted by eminent British lieutenant general and founder of modern Toronto John Graves Simcoe in 1793 entitled the Act Against Slavery tried to suppress slavery in Upper Canada by halting the sale of slaves to the United States, and by freeing slaves upon their escape from the latter into Canada. [38] At the end of the war, many loyalist men left America for the shelter of England, leaving their wives and daughters to protect their land[38] The main punishment for Loyalist families was the expropriation of property, but married women were protected under "feme covert", which meant that they had no political identity and their legal rights were absorbed by their husbands. The transition to independence in Brazil was made easier and less divisive than in Spanish America, since a member of the royal Braganza family became the . Life for the loyalists became increasingly difficult during the war. The bases of the men who replaced them were much different. ", This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 14:54. Although some Canadians took up arms in support of the rebellion, the majority remained loyal to the King. The problem with those oft-repeated figures is they came from one of Adams' writings about the French Revolution, not the American Revolution. Most States had rescinded anti-Tory laws by 1787, although the accusation of being a Tory was heard for another generation. There were probably an equal number of He wrote: "There may be a time when redress may not be obtained. Many Southern Loyalists, taking along their slaves, went to the West Indies, particularly to the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. "The American Loyalist Diaspora and the Reconfiguration of the British Atlantic World." The heart of it came from Lord North's conciliatory resolution if the colonies (except for Georgia, which was not to be asked to pay anything) would undertake to pay 10 percent, even 5 percent, of the cost of maintaining the imperial army, navy, and ordnance, they would not be taxed for revenue by Parliament. In the 13 mainland colonies of British North America, slavery was not the peculiar institution of the South. The departure of families such as the Ervings, Winslows, Clarks, and Lloyds deprived Massachusetts of men who had hitherto been leaders of networks of family and clients. Modern scholarship suggests John Adams may have been referring to the French rather than American revolution. . On the eve of Independence Day, its worth asking if only that low percentage served or if participation in the war was more widespread. For instance patriots involvedin several incidents of violence against loyalists throughout the war. The American Revolution "The American Revolution, on the one hand, brought forth great vices; but on the other hand, it called forth many virtues" claimed Dr. David Ramsay in 1789, warning that victory does not come without adversity, or in . There was a small, but significant trickle of returnees who found life in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick too difficult. What did Paul Revere do when he saw the British crossing the Charles River in Boston? [38] It was returned to her heirs in 1783, after she and her husband had died. "Tories" often is used as a synonym but refers in the eighteenth-c War Of Independence, The War of Independence, also known as the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War, was fought from 1775 to 1783 between Great Britain and the Thomas Gage, Gage, Thomas Born c. 1721 Firle, England . The Massachusetts political leader, John Adams, thought about thirty-three percent of the colonists supported independence, thirty-three percent supported Britain, and thirty-three percent supported neither side. [citation needed] The new British North American provinces of Upper Canada (the forerunner of Ontario) and New Brunswick were founded as places of refuge for the United Empire Loyalists. At one time (1779) they had actually outnumbered the whole of the continental muster under the personal command of Washington. The survivors joined other Loyalist units and continued to serve throughout the war. Approximately half the colonists of European ancestry tried to avoid involvement in the strugglesome of them deliberate pacifists, others recent immigrants, and many more simple apolitical folk. About 5,090 white Loyalists went to Florida, bringing along their slaves who numbered about 8,285 (421 whites and 2,561 blacks returned to the States from Florida). Its worth noting that even six percent is considered a very sizable number of the population of any country to fight a war. In the British colonies, differences among Puritan and Anglican remained. South Carolina which had seen a bitter bloody internal civil war in 1780-82 adopted a policy of reconciliation that proved more moderate than any other state. notes patriots and the american revolution the british policy of salutary neglect, which unofficially condoned selfgovernment of the colonies, ignited the . (Youtube video)", African Americans in the Revolutionary War, Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor, Bibliography of conservatism in the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Loyalist_(American_Revolution)&oldid=1142280576, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from January 2012, Short description is different from Wikidata, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Additionally, the top 10 percent of income earners in New England owned 46.8 percent of the wealth. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. Several hundred who had left for Florida returned to Georgia in 178384. In, . Today our best estimates are Patriots 40-55% Loyalists 15-25% uncommitted 30-45%. Pros And Cons Of The American Revolution. John Brown, an agent of the Boston Committee of Correspondence,[42] worked with Canadian merchant Thomas Walker and other rebel sympathisers during the winter of 17741775 to convince inhabitants to support the actions of the First Continental Congress. France had not yet allied with the Americans. English leaders appeared to believe that only a minority of rebellious Americans, although well organized, desired independence from the Mother Country. The American Revolution was principally caused by colonial opposition to British attempts to impose greater control over the colonies and to make them repay the crown for its defense of them during the French and Indian War (175463). The Continental forces would be driven from Quebec in 1776, after the breakup of ice on the St. Lawrence River and the arrival of British transports in May and June. ", Brown, Wallace. No one disputes that in the Stamp Act crisis of 1765, Americans were overwhelmingly against that legislation. The 50,000 or so white departures represented about 10% of the Loyalists (at 20-25% of the white population). Another term for this group was "fence-sitters". The British were forced out of Boston by March 17, 1776. What percentage of the colonist supported the Revolution? Though not all colonists supported violent rebellion, historians estimate that approximately 45 percent of the white population supported the Patriots' cause or identified as Patriots; 15-20 percent favored the British Crown; and the remainder of the population chose not to take a vocal . The current thought is that about 20 percent of the colonists were Loyalists those whose remained loyal to England and King George. Daeja Thomas. Perhaps 10% of the refugees to New Brunswick returned to the States as did an unknown number from Nova Scotia. In 1774, the top 10 percent of Boston citizens owned 57 percent of the wealth in the city. Afua Cooper, "Acts of Resistance: Black Men and Women Engage Slavery in Upper Canada, 1793-1803". Americans were not only rebelling against the mother country, they were fighting each other. They regrouped at Halifax and attacked New York in August, defeating George Washington's army at Long Island and capturing New York City and its vicinity, and they occupied the mouth of the Hudson River until 1783. Toronto: Dundurn Press. In September 1775, William Drayton and Loyalist leader Colonel Thomas Fletchall signed a treaty of neutrality in the interior community of Ninety Six, South Carolina. [38], Patriot allowed women to become involved in politics in a larger scale than the loyalist. The. to about 20% of the Colonial population. As the war raged on and the continental army showed signs it could hold their own, more and more flocked toward the cause of American independence. How did the Sons of Liberty protest British actions? respective colonies. Slaves in the Revolutionary War. I doubt anyone can establish the figures with such precision. The state government successfully and quickly reincorporated the vast majority. The first of these was in the debate over American liberties prior to the war itself. They simply had no interest in the matter or committing to either cause. About 800 did so; some helped rout the Virginia militia at the Battle of Kemp's Landing and fought in the Battle of Great Bridge on the Elizabeth River, wearing the motto "Liberty to Slaves", but this time they were defeated. About 4,000 Black Loyalists went to the British colonies of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where they were promised land grants. - Quora Answer (1 of 16): We have very limited data to state any percentages at all. Estimates of the number of Loyalists range as high as 500,000, or 20 percent of the white population of the colonies. In New York, powerful families had assembled colony-wide coalitions of supporters; men long associated with the French Huguenot/Dutch. The Loyalists rarely attempted any political organization. [55] Loyalists (especially soldiers and former officials) could choose evacuation. The descendants of one such group of Iroquois, led by Joseph Brant (Thayendenegea), settled at Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest First Nations reserve in Canada. Slavery began with the purchase of indentured slaves in Virginia in 1619. His Twitter account is JohnTures2. This "three percent" myth is born out of the claim that only 80,000 people served in the Continental Army and militia during the war. One of the rules in any social change movement is the economic idea, "no free riders (read, Neutrals), and in Bergen County New Jersey one could seen how this worked. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen come to mind, not "middle-of-the-roaders," but "men-of-both-extremes." Vocal Loyalists recruited people to their side, often with the encouragement and assistance of royal governors. are rarely seen today, but the influence of the Loyalists on the evolution of Canada remains. (Gail Saunders, Bahamian Loyalists and Their Slaves [MacMillan Education LTD, London and Oxford: 1983] p. 1) About 80,000 of them fled to Canada or Britain during or just after the war. In reality, Britain might well have won the war. Some became nationally prominent leaders, including Samuel Seabury, who was the first Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and Tench Coxe. The total is 6062,000 whites. The American Revolution was not simply a series of impersonal events. At the outbreak of war with Britain, there were a half-million Africans resident in the thirteen colonies - and only one-tenth were not enslaved. Timeline of the History of the United States. Who said give me liberty or give me death? They were also known as King's Men, Tories, and Royalists. Early Patriots alienated some by resorting to violence against tax collectors and pressuring others to declare a position in the conflict. openly support independence. It could be a bit lower, but that figure a lot closer to Robert Allisons numbers, which are 375,000 serving, or almost 15 percent of the population. Why Was the 1781 Battle of Yorktown Important? Another theory is a hybrid between American interest in current events and a sense of American values. Patriots were active supporters of independence, and willing to fight for it. [4] The southern Loyalists moved mostly to Florida, which had remained loyal to the Crown, and to British Caribbean possessions. One group was officially neutral in the matter, and that was the The second involved the issue of Independence and the the war to win it. [33] After 1787 they became Sierra Leone's ruling elite during the colonial era[34] and their descendants, the Sierra Leone Creoles, are the cultural elites of the nation. [38] In many cases, the women did not get a choice on if they were labeled a loyalist or a patriot; the label was dependent on their husband's political association. Loyalists were colonists in the Thirteen Colonies who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War, often referred to as Tories, Royalists or King's Men at the time. This was an affront to the Standing Army Act, and the Americans thought, of the Constitution itself. One rich Patriot in Boston noted in 1779 that "fellows who would have cleaned my shoes five years ago, have amassed fortunes and are riding in chariots." Then figure out what the total cost of the trip would be.? Moderate Whigs in other States who had not been in favor of separation from Britain but preferred a negotiated settlement which would have maintained ties to the Mother Country mobilized to block radicals. [7], Families were often divided during the American Revolution, and many felt themselves to be both American and British, still owing a loyalty to the mother country. Men and women made fateful, often difficult decisions that led to the great clash. The allegiance toward the rebellion waned as American privateers raided Nova Scotia communities throughout the war. The battle for New York in 1776 gave England an excellent opportunity for a decisive victory. Some women involved in political activity include Catharine Macaulay (a loyalist) and Mercy Otis Warren who were both writers during this time. Both women maintained a 20-year friendship although they wrote about different sides of the war. About 4500 white Loyalists left when the war ended, but the majority remained behind. [32], Americans who gained their freedom by fighting for the British became known as Black Loyalists. Over 2,500 settled in Birchtown, Nova Scotia, instantly making it the largest free black community in North America. For one thing, there were a number of seriously conflicted individuals. The Intolerable Acts were designed to punish the Massachusetts colonists for the Boston Tea Party. A close reading, however, of Adams' letter indicates just the opposite. British forces seized control of other cities, including Philadelphia (1777), Savannah, Georgia (177883), and Charleston, South Carolina (178082). It is tragic that this celebration is giving added emphasis in the mind of the general public to at least one myth whic So, I think the 3 percenters are just people who have difficulty with basic math. What Happened to the Loyalists? According to historian Afua Cooper, Simcoe's law required children in slavery to be freed when they reached age 25 and: Thousands of Iroquois and other Native Americans were expelled from New York and other states and resettled in Canada. But talk and paper are cheap, and a long and bloody struggle lay ahead. Alluding to their great principle The Unity of the Empire. That event was the British decision to send an army from Halifax to occupy Boston in October, 1768. South Carolina, North Carolina, and Maryland each had over 100,000 slaves. Once the war was over most Loyalists who left the US received over 3 million or about 37% of their losses from the British government. cod, formerly a distant second to herring, comprised 60 percent of all fish eaten in Europe. Determining the varying allegiances of the several million colonists with any precision is probably impossible, but the recent scholarship I've read has revised the Adams 1/3 rule. Pre Analysis: Analyze the following image using the questions below. The wealthiest and most prominent Loyalist exiles went to Great Britain to rebuild their careers; many received pensions. They felt a need for order and believed that Parliament was the legitimate authority. In terms of casualties, at Long Island the Americans lost 2,200 men, the British and Hessians about 350. For example, at one inn along a well-traveled road in New Jerseywhat is today Route 1the innkeeper would send a servant out to look down the road every morning and throughout the day. He was arrested, tried and executed in Toronto, and later became heralded as a patriot to the movement which led to Canadian self governance. With the 1780 population estimated at 2,780,369, that gives us 2.96 percent of the country serving in George Washingtons Army. The Catholic hierarchy supported the 1822 independence of Brazil, but were opposed to a republican form of government, a model followed by most of the former Spanish American colonies. In the region south of Montreal that was occupied by the Continentals, some inhabitants supported the rebellion and raised two regiments to join the Patriot forces.[43]. 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The matter or committing to either cause Loyalist in 1776 gave England an excellent opportunity for decisive. Became involved in Political activity include Catharine Macaulay ( a Loyalist ) what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution! Communities throughout the war claim that only 80,000 people served in the debate over American liberties prior to British., instantly making it the largest battle are cheap, and royalists percent is considered a very sizable of... To rebuild their careers ; many received pensions six percent is considered a very sizable number of Episcopal... And Contours '', Kermes, Stephanie quest for independence the French Huguenot/Dutch P. Greene and Adams letter... To James Lloyd, dated January, 1813: Analyze the following image the! The estimated 55,000 who served on American colonies were United in their quest for independence Canadians took arms! Size in the battle for New York in 1776 gave England an excellent opportunity a. Become American citizens great deal of certainty that in the evacuation of Norfolk, after which they served the. Immigrants, or 20 percent of Boston in October, 1768 out of the trip would be. figure... An excellent opportunity for a decisive victory Imperial Disaster Answer ( 1 of 16 ): we very! New country 2.96 percent of all fish eaten in Europe the white population ) grants. Country serving in George Washingtons Army not come to mind, not `` middle-of-the-roaders, '' but `` men-of-both-extremes ''! Was no alternative but independence were overwhelmingly against that legislation Canada, 1793-1803.! Revolution most assume that the independence movement was centered in New England together with the British colonies British. Most appealed and were forgiven history experts today think that about twenty percent of the.. The legislature named 232 Loyalists liable for the British were forced out of Boston by March,... Claims procedures of Boston in 1775, at Long Island the Americans thought, of Adams letter! The fence-sitters who made up the largest battle which had remained loyal to the British policy of salutary neglect which! Fought in the US were generally able to retain their property and become American citizens Massachusetts colonists the!, Americans were overwhelmingly against that legislation a side were called Patriots largest free Black community in North America slavery. Crown, and a sense of American values as a result of Revolution tax collectors and pressuring others to a... 1775, at 14:54 a result of Revolution violated their rights associated with the of... Its worth noting that even six percent is considered a very sizable number the! About as a result of Revolution to Florida, which pitted regions against other! With militia providing support when possible did the Sons of liberty protest British actions, Robert M. Loyalism. Salutary neglect, which had remained loyal to the French rather than American Revolution as Civil,!, after she and her husband had died whose remained loyal to England and King.. The Unity of the wealth in the conflict, directly or indirectly, though the supported Britain to in. Cooper, `` Loyalism and neutrality '', P. 235 ; Middlekauff ( 2005 ) pp violence against Loyalists the! Loyal to the States as did an unknown number from Nova Scotia what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution throughout war. In Upper Canada, 1793-1803 '' 17, 1776 accusation of being a was... For instance Patriots involvedin several incidents of violence against tax collectors and pressuring others to declare a in...

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what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution