Loyalists, American colonists of varied ethnic backgrounds who supported the British cause during the AMERICAN REVOLUTION (1775-83). (Wilson, 2009)
Overview
- After the costly British victory over the French in Canada, the British attempted to control American colonies economically
- The British Empire attempted to heavily tax the American colonists and as a result, large scale riots broke out against British military forces
- 13 American colonies joined arms, and rose up against the British Empire. However, there was a large amount of these 13 colonies that decided they wanted to live in the new world (Canada) and instead of opposing the British Empire, they became loyal to it
- They broke away from their colonies and settled in British North America
Loyalists vs. Patriots (The Revolutionary war separated the people of American colonies into two groups)
The Patriots:
- Those who wanted to be independent of the British government.
- Wanted to call home United States
- Did not want to be part of the British Empire
- Thought it was very unfair how heavily the British Empire was taxing them
- Had no say in British government
- WANTED FREEDOM FROM BRITISH RULE
The Loyalists:
- Supported the British Empire
- Wanted to remain part of Britain (British Citizens)
- Felt British were the best in charge
- Some of the Loyalists were simply afraid to go against the British
- Some were interested in trading and wanted to do be a part of the British business economy
- Many thought British rule would be better than Patriot rule
Who Were The Loyalists?
- They came in many shapes and forms from different levels of class and educational background
- Some were very rich and gained wealth and power in the British Empire
- Others included farmers, craftsman, lawyers, laborers, slaves, soldiers, Native Americans, college graduates, and extremely undereducated people
- European settlers also tended to support the Crown
- All of these communities had little in common besides their opposition to the American Revolution
- They had varying reasons for wanting to join the British Empire
- Some had strong ties to Britain, some feared change, some had political interest in the British, and some had an emotional tie Crown and more
- One commonality was that they were all tired of mob rule in America, which was causing democratic breakdown in law and order
- Many dictators were in competition for power and America had been falling apart
- The Loyalists believed the British Empire would come with a secure and prosperous life
- In total, the colony members that set out to be loyal to the Crown were approximately 250,000 people
- Loyalists that stayed with in the 13 American colonies were seen as traitors and were greatly disrespected by their neighboring rebels
- A typical happening might involve a Patriot to force a Loyalist to strip down, take all of their belongings punish them with death
- Loyalists had no right to vote, sell land, be lawyers, teachers or doctors
- Eventually, 70, 000 Loyalists of the 13 colonies fled. 50, 000 of them went to British N. American colonies including Nova Scotia and Quebec
- Many Loyalists felt threatened and many Loyalist Regiments were formed: The King's Royal Regiment of New York, Butler's Rangers, Roger's Rangers, Skinners New Jersey Volunteers and more
- In 1783 a the Treaty of Paris was signed and United States gained independence. This was a heavy blow to the Loyalists
- They were treated even worse than before, and Loyalists living amongst the 13 colonies were faced with exile. Those who decided to go to N.America had two choice: Quebec or Nova Scotia
A New Life
- Fleeing a chaotic situation, the Loyalists had to leave most of their belongings and lives behind. Additionally, the hardships of the Loyalists, would not be over
- Gathering food and even living through winter was almost unbearable
- With lack of materials and food, many Loyalists spent the winter in a tent with no floor. Yes, they were sleeping right on the ground
- Many Loyalists died in the first year, and many returned to America, but the majority of them were determined to make life in N.America
United Empire Loyalists
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg4F2Cebf3Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg4F2Cebf3Y
Loyalists Settling in Nova Scotia
- In 1776 the the British government permitted Loyalists from the 13 colonies to board ships to Nova Scotia and bring with them their belongings
- By 1783 there were approximately 50,000 refugees and Loyalist leaders living in New York
- While they were promised safety through the treaty , Patriot persecution of Loyalists increased dramatically
- 30, 000 decided to leave for Nova Scotia
- As mentioned above, the Loyalists came in many forms, and many of them brought slaves to N.America
- Many Black Loyalists were members of an exclusive black corps of the British Army and were offered freedom if they supported the Crown
- Minority groups including Dutch, Hugenots of Quakers, and others.
- Half of the refugees settled near the Saint John River. It would become New Brunswick. The large harbor turned into the location of the city of Saint. John
- Other settlements fell along Digby, Lunenburg, and Shelburne.
- Loyalists did not do well with the residing settlers and moved in far away areas where they could live alone
- After experiencing more criticisms from non-Loyalists, the Loyalists of Saint John andCape Breton Island, with the permission of the Halifax government became an independent settlement
- The population of New Brunswick was 90%
- Thomas Carleton, the first Lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick, named the settlement of Loyalists in Saint. John, Frederick, which was named after the Duke of York
Settlement in Quebec
- While most Loyalists went to Ontario, some Loyalists ended up going to Quebec
- Colonel John Butler, a rich and powerful man who owned a great deal of land in the Mohawk Valley of New York, put together the regiment, Butler's Rangers
- The Butler's Rangers regiment made allies with the Native Loyalists
- He brought his regiment to Niagara River's west bank
- His regiment disbanded in 1784
- Some families of this settlement moved to the Lake Erie area, and others moved along the Detroit River and the Thames River
- Col. Butler continued his alliance with the Natives and became superintendent of Indian Affairs
- He also acted as the leader of their militia
- Native Americans that were part of the Five Nations in New York sided with the British instead of the Patriots, because the British were more likely to protect them
- After the war, about 2000 Native Americans followed Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) into British North America
- Most of them settled in the valley of Grand River
- Other smaller groups went to the head of Lake Ontario and along the shores of the Bay of Quinte
- Some Loyalists who disbanded from regiments settled along the St. Lawrence River upstream from Montreal and along the North Shore of Lake Ontario
- These disbanded Loyalists requested to be separated by religion and nationality
- Most of the settlers had been frontier farmers before the revolution. They had no problem with the wild and its harsh conditions, but they had almost no materials as most of them were left behind as they fled their homes
- The British government did not provide them with much in terms of materials, but gave them plots of land for free
- Land given out was determined by military rank, and those high ranking were also provided with extra funding for their wives and children
- The tradition of freehold land tenure was brought by the loyalists, along with British Law and representative government
- The Loyalists did not want to give up these rights by living under the Quebec Act, because it used the seigniorial system of landholding. The Quebec Act would also prevent Loyalists from taking part in politics
- Shorty after, Loyalists challenged the government requesting to change the seigniorial system to the tenure system, which was the case in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
- In 1791, British Parliament passed the Canada Act (also known as the Constitutional Act)
- This created two Quebec divisions into Upper and Lower Canada
- Both colonies were granted membership in politics and the landholding tenure system went into use
- The changes were strong influences by the Loyalists that improved their lives
Loyalist Summary
- Most of the Loyalists went to British North America (Now Canada) between 1783 and 1784
- Maritime Provinces became home for 30,000 of them
- The two main settlements were in Saint John River valley and Shelburne Nova Scotia
- The Loyalist population far surpassed that of the French and British
- This would help them gain rights to home ownership and membership in government amongst other rights
- Cape Breton and New Brunswick were created to accommodate the huge amount of Loyalists in 1784
- The Loyalists, with their intense struggles, helped make great change in what is now Canada by bringing a greater sense of equality and diversity