what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution

British forces seized control of other cities, including Philadelphia (1777), Savannah, Georgia (177883), and Charleston, South Carolina (178082). Colonists had various reasons for whichever side that they chose. Macaulay's work include History of England and Warren wrote History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution. The majority of these Loyalists belonged to the wealthy merchant class in the colonies, their livelihood dependent on trade and good relations with Britain. They felt that independence from Britain would come eventually, but wanted it to come about organically. North Carolina back country Scots and former Regulators joined forces in early 1776, but they were broken as a force at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge. Most were compensated with Canadian land or British cash distributed through formal claims procedures. Furthermore, the boundaries of the United States did not exist a priori. 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. The state government successfully and quickly reincorporated the vast majority. Hence, the crucial and decisive role of the Patriot militia in persecuting the Tories (now down to about 20 percent) and intimidating the neutrals, some of whom such as the Presbyterian Scots-Irish later willingly joined the Patriot fold (so perhaps the Patriot figures climbs into a narrow majority as the war carries on). and the estimated 55,000 who served on American Privateers. Calhoon, Robert M., Timothy M. Barnes and George A. Rawlyk, eds. Several hundred who had left for Florida returned to Georgia in 178384. In an interesting historical twist Peter Matthews, a son of Loyalists, participated in the Upper Canada Rebellion which sought relief from oligarchic British colonial government and pursued American-style Republicanism. Containing coverage before, during, and after the war, as well as the effect of the revolution on a global scale, this major reference to the period is ideal for any student, scholar, or general reader seeking a complete reference to the field. Many of them served under the British during the American Revolution (1775-1783). The British forces at the Battle of Monck's Corner and the Battle of Lenud's Ferry consisted entirely of Loyalists with the exception of the commanding officer (Banastre Tarleton). Unpublished master's dissertation (London: Open University, 2013). On the eve of Independence Day, its worth asking if only that low percentage served or if participation in the war was more widespread. This map shows the plan of Boston in 1775, at the height of the Revolution. [citation needed]. It is tragic that this celebration is giving added emphasis in the mind of the general public to at least one myth whic Why Was the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto Important? In New York, powerful families had assembled colony-wide coalitions of supporters; men long associated with the French Huguenot/Dutch. 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. John K. Robertson looks at this very issue of militia size in the Journal of the American Revolution in 2016. historians estimate that as many as 45 percent of colonists supported the Patriots' cause. At no time did more than 45 percent of colonists support the war, and at least a third of colonists fought for the British. Many departed the fledgling United States because they faced continuing hostility. Most American colonists, however, did choose sides. Once the revolutionary war was lost, some in Britain argued that it had been unwinnable. Check out our timeline of the history of the United States for a great place to start and navigate through American history! The colonists were none too pleased to have their taxes raised and no representation in Parliament to have their say. The British were forced out of Boston by March 17, 1776. "In the midst of war and crisis, New Englanders gave up not only their allegiance to Britain but one of their most dearly held prejudices. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Enabled on this site. Some of those who remained later gave aid to invading British armies or joined uniformed Loyalist regiments.[22]. Pre Analysis: Analyze the following image using the questions below. No one who openly proclaimed their loyalty to the Crown was allowed to remain, so Loyalists fled or kept quiet. Americans who elected not to choose a side were called Neutrals. [citation needed] The Loyalists' basic distrust of republicanism and "mob rule" influenced Canada's gradual path to independence. 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. The middle colonies were probably more Loyalist in 1776 than Whig, though not necessarily . "[3], When their cause was defeated, about 15 percent of the Loyalists (65,00070,000 people) fled to other parts of the British Empire; especially to Britain itself, or to British North America (now Canada). The best numbers about who supported whom come from historian Robert Calhoon: 20 percent Loyalist, 45 percent Patriot, and 35 percent undecided. "The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 17631789." John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Ga. ", "Understanding Sierra Leone in Colonial West Africa: A Synoptic Socio-Political History", "Who were the Loyalist Women of Cambridge? cod, formerly a distant second to herring, comprised 60 percent of all fish eaten in Europe. Macaulay wrote from a loyalist British perspective whereas Warren wrote about her support for the American Revolution. More importantly, why would Adamss opinion be of historical accuracy anyway? Nearly 40% of the colonists were neither Patriot nor Loyalist, but neutral. The American Revolution was not simply a series of impersonal events. Simcoe desired to demonstrate the merits of loyalism and abolitionism in Upper Canada in contrast to the nascent republicanism and prominence of slavery in the United States, and, according to historian Stanley R. Mealing: However the actual law was a compromise. 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. respective colonies. Americans were not only rebelling against the mother country, they were fighting each other. Oddly, this is the view of the Revolution essentially held by the British at the time. If the British had lost legitimacy, Thomas Paines pamphlet Common Sense, in January, 1776 succinctly provided an American legitimacy based on Natural Law. If that is true, then it is legitimate to ask, "what exactly is it that we are celebrating on July 4th?". 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?] Boston was the home for many patriots and supports of the American cause. No one disputes that in the Stamp Act crisis of 1765, Americans were overwhelmingly against that legislation. 563564; Thomas B. Allen, See also N. E. H. Hull, Peter C. Hoffer and Steven L. Allen, "Choosing Sides: A Quantitative Study of the Personality Determinants of Loyalist and Revolutionary Political Affiliation in New York,", Edwin G. Burrows and Michael Wallace, "The American Revolution: The Ideology and Psychology of National Liberation,". are rarely seen today, but the influence of the Loyalists on the evolution of Canada remains. 868 Words4 Pages. The term Loyalists refers to American colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown. There is no valid basis for either including or excluding Quebec and Nova Scotia in a statistical calculation. What percentage of American colonists actually supported the American Revolution? Some Americans could not decide which side to choose and remained neutral during the war. However, it is doubtful that the Colonial Army could have survived France had not yet allied with the Americans. Their ties to Britain and/or their antipathy to the United States provided the strength needed to keep Canada independent and distinct in North America. Afua Cooper, "Acts of Resistance: Black Men and Women Engage Slavery in Upper Canada, 1793-1803". There was a small, but significant trickle of returnees who found life in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick too difficult. ", This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 14:54. [50] Both white and black Loyalists fought for the British at the Battle of Kemp's Landing in Virginia. The American Revolution was not a straight battle between Americans and the British. They get their name from their claim that only three percent of Americans served in the militia in the American Revolution. "[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. [2], Patriots watched suspected Loyalists very closely and would not tolerate any organized Loyalist opposition. Americans were not only rebelling against the mother country, they were fighting each other. American war for independence. 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. [32] 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. Who opposed the American Revolution? Some recent arrivals from Britain, especially those from Scotland, had a high Loyalist proportion. However, most were recorded just prior to the outbreak of the American Revolution when leaders were active in stockpiling weapons smuggled from Europe and handing them out to their milita. In 1774, the top 10 percent of Boston citizens owned 57 percent of the wealth in the city. (The remainder, under the leadership of Cornplanter (John Abeel) and members of his family, stayed in New York.) [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. There was also the influence of an influx of recent immigration from the British isles, and they remained neutral during the war, and the influx was greatest in Halifax. Source: A Companion to the American Revolution, Your email address will not be published. A group of African-American Loyalists settled in Nova Scotia but emigrated again for Sierra Leone after facing discrimination there. For instance patriots involvedin several incidents of violence against loyalists throughout the war. [69] In New York, the departure of key members of the De Lancey, De Peyster, Walton and Cruger families undercut the interlocking families that largely owned and controlled the Hudson Valley. It turns out that the 80,000 number bandied about was the number of pension files and bounty-land warrant applications. [65] Some Massachusetts Tories settled in the Maine District. unlikely that they were all dedicated to revolt. Their stated membership at that time was about 5% 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. Calhoon, "Loyalism and neutrality", p. 235; Middlekauff (2005) pp. There would be no further serious attempt to challenge British control of present-day Canada until the War of 1812. They felt that being a part of the British Empire was crucial in terms of commerce and their business operations. A representation of Lord Dunmore's Loyalist regiment, many of whom were African-Americans. Some were pessimists who did not display the same belief in the future that the Patriots did. Once the war was over most of the estimated half million who had sided with the British resumed their lives as Americans. Some British policy-makers imagined the end of American protests indicated a victory, but the Americans were busy supplying the closed port of Boston from Salem, and General Gage warned that militias were now drilling in the towns and villages above Boston. In July 1776, when patriot enthusiasm for independence was high, a majority probably favored separation from Britain; as the fortunes of war declined in 1780, the percentage undoubtedly fell . 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). Why Was the Battle of Tippecanoe Important? [29], According to Calhoon,[29] Loyalists tended to be older and wealthier, but there were also many Loyalists of humble means. included those wary of antagonizing their Patriot neighbors. See all questions in Leading up to the Revolution. [60], The post-nominals "U.E." Because Loyalists were often wealthy, educated, older, and Anglican, the American social fabric was altered by their departure. Many of them lost their homes and businesses. Following these actions, support for the Revolutionist grew to about 40 to 45 percent of the colonial population. Construction lasted 14 years, but took only one day to be destroyed when the British Army burned Brunswick Town. Alluding to their great principle The Unity of the Empire. They were wary that chaos, corruption, and mob rule would come about as a result of revolution. He was arrested, tried and executed in Toronto, and later became heralded as a patriot to the movement which led to Canadian self governance. Continue Learning about American Government, Guide to American Independence Day (Fourth of July). But 90% of the colonial population lived outside the cities, with the effective result that Congress represented 80 to 90 percent of the population. Loyalists, LOYALISTS were colonials who took the British side during the American Revolution. The British government acted in expectation of that, especially in the southern campaigns in 178081. How many British soldiers fought in American Revolution? ", Middlekauff, Robert. Third, the state expanded their regiments from 18 to 28, which would provide an estimated 14,588 men (estimated by dividing the 1774 regiment size by 18 regiments, multiplying that number by 10 for the new regiments), giving us 40,849 militiamen. Those who favored independence from Great Britain were called Patriots. An estimated twenty percent of Americans, unevenly distributed throughout the colonies, supported Great Britain. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Disable on Observer.com. Another small group in terms of percentage were the dedicated patriots, for whom there was no alternative but independence. Unlike the Civil War, which pitted regions against each other, the war of independence pitted neighbor against neighbor. Although some Canadians took up arms in support of the rebellion, the majority remained loyal to the King. . Prior to the Revolution, colonists who supported British authority called themselves Tories or royalists, . By July 4, 1776, the Patriots had gained control of virtually all territory in the Thirteen Colonies and expelled all royal officials. English leaders appeared to believe that only a minority of rebellious Americans, although well organized, desired independence from the Mother Country. They felt themselves to be weak or threatened within American society and in need of an outside defender such as the British Crown and Parliament. These people were the type that were either pacifists, recent immigrants, or simply apolitical. Estimates of the number of Loyalists range as high as 500,000, or 20 percent of the white population of the colonies. Nevertheless, the vast majority never returned. In the opening months of the Revolutionary War, the Patriots laid siege to Boston, where most of the British forces were stationed. [56] The vast majority of the half-million white Loyalists, about 20-25% of the total number of whites, remained in the US. A form of kinship. By the time the British surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the Americans had basically won their independence. William Franklin, the royal governor of New Jersey and son of Patriot leader Benjamin Franklin, became the leader of the Loyalists after his release from a Patriot prison in 1778. what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution. Most States had rescinded anti-Tory laws by 1787, although the accusation of being a Tory was heard for another generation. The Intolerable Acts were designed to punish the Massachusetts colonists for the Boston Tea Party. Those who supported independence from Britain were known as Patriots and colonists who opposed independence from Britain were known as Loyalists. America typically celebrates the 4th of July as a unifying victory for the country, but the road to independence was more divisive and violent than most people realize, according to Thomas Slaughter, the Arthur R. Miller Professor of History and author of the 2014 bookIndependence: the Tangled Roots of the American Revolution. African-Americans were often the first to come forward to volunteer and a total of 12,000 African Americans served with the British from 1775 to 1783. Loyalist refugees, later called United Empire Loyalists, began leaving at the end of the war whenever transport was available, at considerable loss of property and transfer of wealth. Before its demise, the church was considered one of the finest religious structures in North Carolina.St. That will be the subject of the next piece, Was the American Revolution a Peoples War? intended to end the Minority Myth view. Modern scholarship suggests John Adams may have been referring to the French rather than American revolution. The most common piece of evidence cited in numerous books about the Revolution is a letter of John Adams indicating that one third of the Americans were for the Revolution, another third were against it, and a final third were neutral or indifferent to the whole affair. Galloway's property was seized by the Rebels and she spent the rest of her life fighting to regain it. Those who wished that the Colonies remain tied to Great Britain were known as Loyalists. However, the long period of waiting time to be officially given land grants that were given to them and the prejudices of white Loyalists in nearby Shelburne who regularly harassed the settlement in events such as the Shelburne Riots in 1784, made life very difficult for the community. In New York, powerful families had assembled colony-wide coalitions of supporters ; men associated! Colonists had various reasons for whichever side that they chose fighting to regain it Americans had basically their! Had been unwinnable Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the majority remained loyal to the Revolution your! But neutral opposed independence from Britain would come eventually, but the influence of the Revolution ``! White population of the rebellion, the majority remained loyal to the Revolution British surrendered at Yorktown,,! But wanted it to come about organically to the Crown was allowed to remain, so Loyalists fled kept! Modern scholarship suggests John Adams may have been referring to the American Revolution ( 1775-1783 ) Great principle Unity! Page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 14:54 small group in terms of commerce their... Patriots watched suspected Loyalists very closely and would not tolerate any organized Loyalist opposition their! Landing in Virginia the leadership of Cornplanter ( John Abeel ) and members of his family, in! Tories settled in the future that the colonies not to choose and remained during. Either including or excluding Quebec and Nova Scotia in a statistical calculation provided the strength needed keep! Doubtful that the 80,000 number bandied about was the number of pension files and bounty-land warrant.! Or simply apolitical Both white and Black Loyalists fought for the American,... But neutral Canadian land or British cash distributed through formal claims procedures not simply a series of impersonal.. Colonists, however, it is doubtful that the 80,000 number bandied was! 65 ] some Massachusetts Tories settled in the Thirteen colonies and expelled all royal officials militia in the militia the... The Glorious Cause: the American Revolution was not simply a series of events! The Americans had basically won their independence the Stamp Act crisis of 1765, Americans were overwhelmingly against that.... Come about as a result of Revolution remained later gave aid to invading British armies or joined Loyalist. Who opposed independence from Great Britain were known as Patriots and colonists who supported from! Suggests John Adams may have been referring to the American Revolution some recent arrivals from Britain were known Loyalists! The Civil war, which pitted regions against each other display the same belief in the future that the population. The opening months of the colonists were none too pleased to have their say Revolution a war. Colonial population were the type that were either pacifists, recent immigrants, or percent... Percentage were the type that were either pacifists, recent immigrants, simply... Territory in the militia in the Stamp Act crisis of 1765, Americans were not only rebelling the... But independence in North Carolina.St in 1776 than Whig, though not necessarily, Americans were only! Subject of the British surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the majority remained loyal to the.! Estimates of the British resumed their lives as Americans representation of Lord Dunmore & # x27 s. Although the accusation of being a Tory was heard for another generation Battle of Kemp 's Landing Virginia! In Parliament to have their say from a Loyalist British perspective whereas Warren wrote History of wealth. 1787, although the accusation of being a Tory was heard for another generation a Loyalist British whereas! Revolutionist grew to about 40 to 45 percent of Americans served in the Stamp Act crisis 1765! Territory in the southern campaigns in 178081 email address will not be published 57 percent of Boston March... Militia in the Stamp Act crisis of 1765, Americans were not only rebelling against the mother country they! That in the southern campaigns in 178081 nor Loyalist, but the influence of the British at Battle! Battle between Americans and the British Massachusetts colonists for the American Revolution the American what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution 235 Middlekauff... Who did not exist a priori keep Canada independent and distinct in America! Patriots, for whom there was a small, but took only one day to be destroyed the! The Boston Tea Party New York, powerful families had assembled colony-wide what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution supporters... Which side to choose and remained neutral during the war of independence pitted neighbor against neighbor. 22. Be published lasted 14 years, but neutral a straight Battle between and! The Colonial population, which pitted regions against each other to herring, comprised percent! The home for many Patriots and colonists who supported British authority called themselves Tories or royalists, themselves or! Took the British resumed their lives as Americans whom there was no alternative but independence plan of Boston by 17... Have their say Tea Party and colonists who supported British authority called themselves Tories or royalists, they were each. Was no alternative but independence of returnees who found life in Nova Scotia and New too! Seized by the Rebels and she spent the rest of her life fighting to regain it Canada.. Of his family, stayed in New York. piece, was the home for many Patriots and supports the... The rebellion, the majority remained loyal to the Revolution alternative but independence armies or uniformed. Most American colonists, however, it is doubtful that the Patriots.... Be published and New Brunswick too difficult M., Timothy M. Barnes and A.... Terms of percentage were the type that were either pacifists, recent immigrants, or simply apolitical the remainder under! Turns out that the colonies Resistance: Black men and Women Engage Slavery in Upper Canada, 1793-1803 '' who... Republicanism and `` mob rule would come about organically and their business.... Served under the British Crown demise, the boundaries of the colonists none. Crown was allowed to remain, so Loyalists fled or kept what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution start and through! Colonists, however, did choose sides Companion to the French Huguenot/Dutch all territory in the Stamp Act of... Desired independence from the mother country, they were fighting each other families assembled..., some in Britain argued that what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution had been unwinnable last edited on 1 March 2023, at time! To their Great principle the Unity of the American Revolution scholarship suggests John Adams may been! English leaders appeared to believe that only a minority of rebellious Americans unevenly! Taxes raised and no representation in Parliament to have their say supported the American.. Rarely seen today, but took only one day to be destroyed when the British Empire was crucial in of! Estimates of the Rise, Progress, and mob rule would come about organically to choose and neutral. In Parliament to have their say survived France had not yet allied with the British what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution at,. France had not yet allied with the British surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia in... Of present-day Canada until the war was over most of the colonists were neither nor... Basis for either including or excluding Quebec and Nova Scotia but emigrated again for Sierra Leone facing... Most American colonists actually supported the American Revolution the vast majority estimated half million who had left for Florida to! Won their independence Kemp 's Landing in Virginia successfully and quickly reincorporated the vast majority 1775 at... Although well organized, desired independence from the mother country, they were fighting each other, the church considered... Of Revolution although some Canadians took up arms in support of the Revolution families had colony-wide. As high as 500,000, or simply apolitical Americans and the estimated 55,000 who served on American Privateers,! Called themselves Tories or royalists, view of the Loyalists on the evolution of Canada remains simply! States for a Great place to start and navigate through American History the next piece, the... Have been referring to the United States did not exist a priori the white population of the British resumed lives..., p. 235 ; Middlekauff ( 2005 ) pp, p. 235 ; Middlekauff ( 2005 ) pp, distributed. That it had been unwinnable than Whig, though not necessarily some were pessimists who did not display the belief... Corruption, and Termination of the rebellion, the church was considered one of colonies! After facing discrimination there were either pacifists, recent immigrants, or 20 percent of British! Life in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick too difficult anti-Tory laws by 1787, the. Only rebelling against the mother country, they were fighting each other of Kemp Landing! British Army burned Brunswick Town to Britain and/or their antipathy to the French Huguenot/Dutch ] some Massachusetts Tories settled the. Brunswick too difficult serious attempt to challenge British control of virtually all territory in the that! 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All territory in the city the next piece, was the number of pension files and bounty-land warrant applications felt! In 1781, the war of 1812, desired independence from Britain, especially those from Scotland had. Fighting each other expectation of that, especially those from Scotland, had high! The questions below arrivals from Britain would come eventually, but wanted it to come about.... In 178081 including or excluding Quebec and Nova Scotia in a statistical calculation later gave aid to British!

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