what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution

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. of the colonial population. Unlike the Civil War, which pitted regions against each other, the war of independence pitted neighbor against neighbor. In the British colonies, differences among Puritan and Anglican remained. Required fields are marked *. [45][46] Although the Continentals captured Montreal in November 1775, they were turned back a month later at Quebec City by a combination of the British military under Governor Guy Carleton, the difficult terrain and weather, and an indifferent local response. At the time of the American Revolution, slaves made up at least 25 percent of the population of North Carolina. They felt that independence from Britain would come eventually, but wanted it to come about organically. Originally our estimates were based on John Adams who asserted that 1/3 supported independence 1/3 supported the crown and 1/3 were uncommitted. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. 50,000 British soldiers standard contractual clauses 2021 word . [citation needed]. It really boggles the imagination to suggest that Adams would have regarded a neutral third so highly with respect to the American Revolution. Because Loyalists were often wealthy, educated, older, and Anglican, the American social fabric was altered by their departure. The middle colonies were probably more Loyalist in 1776 than Whig, though not necessarily . "[71], John Copley's "The Death of Major Pierson". That doesnt include the U.S. Navy, state navies, Continental Marines (2,000 by one estimate) and the estimated 55,000 who served on American Privateers, which gets us from 15 percent to perhaps as high as 25 percent participation. In direct opposition were the Loyalists or Tories who amounted to about 20% of the Colonial population. The older British colonies, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (including what is now New Brunswick) also remained loyal and contributed military forces in support of the Crown. The violence of such an occupation led to the Boston Massacre in 1770, the Tea Party in 1773, and the Intolerable Acts a year later. Today our best estimates are Patriots 40-55% Loyalists 15-25% uncommitted 30-45% 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. New men became rich merchants but they shared a spirit of republican equality that replaced the former elitism. To read our full stories, please turn off your ad blocker.We'd really appreciate it. Though not all colonists supported violent rebellion, historians estimate that as many as 45 percent of colonists supported the Patriots' cause. [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. [54] When Florida was returned to Spain, however, very few Loyalists remained there. Patriots felt that the recent British laws enacted on American colonies were unfair and violated their rights. Charles Woodmason (, Lohrenz, Otto; "The Advantage of Rank and Status: Thomas Price, a Loyalist Parson of Revolutionary Virginia. At no time did more than 45 percent of colonists support the war, and at least a third of colonists fought for the British. ", Patrick Bode, "Upper Canada, 1793: Simcoe and the Slaves.". 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. See my articles, "The American Revolution and the Minority Myth, Modern Age, summer, 1974, and "The Dutch-American Guerrillas in the American Revolution," in Kates, ed., Firearms & Violence (1981) & reprinted in Norval, ed., The Militia in 20th Century America (1983). 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. Another way is to scrutinize historical events. Flora Macdonald would also qualify, though one might argue that in being a tory, she was really being a neo-jacobite, making George III into a kind of ersatz-Bonnie-Prince-Charlie. Starting in the mid1780s a small percentage of those who had left returned to the United States. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Disable on Observer.com. Once the revolutionary war was lost, some in Britain argued that it had been unwinnable. This article shows what was the likely support for the American Revolution among the colonists. Review: DeSantis's Book is a Campaign Tome Written by ChatGPT, 20 Years After Iraq Invasion, Need for Dissenting Perspectives is Clear, Phosphorus Giveth (Life) and Phosphorus Taketh Away, Students are the Victims of DeSantis's Education War in Florida, Linda King Newell, 82, Pioneering Feminist Mormon Historian, Portraits of 19th C. Black Charlottesville Show Life, Joy, Black History Month Traces to a Key Meeting in a Chicago YMCA, How (Some) of the Hip Hop Generation Learned Black History, The Executive Branchs Response to the Flood of 1927, The Case For Calling the Language "American", America Fought Its Own Battle Over Books Before it Fought the Nazis. Less well known is how African-Americans felt and what they did during the War of Independence. Captain Benjamin Hallowell, who as Mandamus Councilor in Massachusetts served as the direct representative of the Crown, was considered by the insurgents as one of the most hated men in the Colony, but as a token of compensation when he returned from England in 1796, his son was allowed to regain the family house. We get it: you like to have control of your own internet experience. It is not valid to average New England together with the South. Several hundred who had left for Florida returned to Georgia in 178384. [53] Approximately 6,000 whites went to Jamaica and other Caribbean islands, notably the Bahamas, and about 13,000 went to Britain (including 5,000 free blacks). Life for the loyalists became increasingly difficult during the war. At no time did more than 45 percent of colonists support the war, and at least a third of colonists fought for the British. "Enduring Patterns of Loyalist Study: Definitions and Contours", Kermes, Stephanie. . To what extent were the colonists influenced by European ideas and political developments during What are two ways that the Navigation Acts benefited England, and the colonies? 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. For the rest of the war, Quebec acted as a base for raiding expeditions, conducted primarily by Loyalists and Indians, against frontier communities. They were often passive unless regular British army units were in the area. About 4,000 Black Loyalists went to the British colonies of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where they were promised land grants. "[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). Sure there were some loyalists who sided with the British, but a vast majority supported independence. 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. Some were pessimists who did not display the same belief in the future that the Patriots did. One group was officially neutral in the matter, and that was the This chart shows this narrative to be incorrect. 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. Loyalists constituted about one-third of the population of the American colonies during that conflict. They called themselves United Empire Loyalists. Many of them lost their homes and businesses. On the eve of Independence Day, its worth asking if only that low percentage served or if participation in the war was more widespread. Some Americans could not decide which side to choose and remained neutral during the war. No one who openly proclaimed their loyalty to the Crown was allowed to remain, so Loyalists fled or kept quiet. Likewise in Pennsylvania, the departure of powerful familiesPenn, Allen, Chew, Shippendestroyed the cohesion of the old upper class there. (2005 edition), Mason, Keith. At no time did more than 45 percent of colonists support the war, and at . Nevertheless, the vast majority never returned. Significantly, for over a century, a number of American intellectuals, ranging recently from Daniel Elsberg of Vietnam War Pentagon Papers fame, to Irving Kristol, the "Godfather" of today's Neoconservative Iraq Hawks, have cited the Adams' letter as gospel. They made up about 20 percent of the population in the colonies. What disadvantages did the Patriots face in fighting the British? Historian Robert Middlekauff summarized scholarly research on the nature of Loyalist support as follows: The largest number of loyalists were found in the middle colonies: many tenant farmers of New York supported the king, for example, as did many of the Dutch in the colony and in New Jersey. Americans who elected not to choose a side were called Neutrals. ", This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 14:54. There is no valid basis for either including or excluding Quebec and Nova Scotia in a statistical calculation. The remaining 75% are ranked as supporters but it is quite What percentage of people fought in Revolution? At the time, the loyalties among the colonists were divided. [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. Historical Background: 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. In New York, powerful families had assembled colony-wide coalitions of supporters; men long associated with the French Huguenot/Dutch. Robert M. Calhoon, in 'A companion to the American Revolution' (2000); p 235. [28], After the British military capture of New York City and Long Island it became the British military and political base of operations in North America from 1776 to 1783, prompting revolutionaries to flee and resulting in a large concentration of Loyalists, many of whom were refugees from other states. The best numbers about who supported whom come from historian Robert Calhoon: 20 percent Loyalist, 45 percent Patriot, and 35 percent undecided. Not all Americans shared in the boom. The Colonists also gained help from other countries such as France and Spain; France provided up to 90% of the Americans' gunpowder in the war's first two years. Roberts, . 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 . 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. 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. The term Loyalists refers to American colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown. Highland Scots in the Carolinas, a fair number of Anglican clergy and their parishioners in Connecticut and New York, a few Presbyterians in the southern colonies, and a large number of the Iroquois stayed loyal to the king. cod, formerly a distant second to herring, comprised 60 percent of all fish eaten in Europe. Furthermore, the boundaries of the United States did not exist a priori. [2], Patriots watched suspected Loyalists very closely and would not tolerate any organized Loyalist opposition. They were opposed by the Patriots, who supported the revolution, and called them "persons inimical to the liberties of America. Their stated membership at that time was about 5% At one time (1779) they had actually outnumbered the whole of the continental muster under the personal command of Washington. The African-American soldiers made an. A Companion to the American Revolution is a single guide to the themes, events, and concepts of this major turning point in early American history. At that date, 293,000 slaves lived in Virginia alone, making up 42 percent of all slaves in the U.S. at the time. [38] It was returned to her heirs in 1783, after she and her husband had died. According to Jasanoff, the majority of these Loyalists 36,000 went to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, while about 6,600 went to Quebec and 2,000 to Prince Edward Island. 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). Rebel agents were active in Quebec (which was then frequently called "Canada", the name of the earlier French province) in the months leading to the outbreak of active hostilities. Many loyalists left the country and went back to Britain. 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. Abigail Adams was quite right to question her husbands statement about just all men being created equal. 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. The Moderates prevailed. Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Enabled on this site. Nearly 40% of the colonists were neither Patriot nor Loyalist, but neutral. of the estimated half million who had sided with the British The exiles amounted to about 2% of the total US population of 3 million at the end of the war in 1783. If an army was spotted, the servant was charged with identifying the colors and raising the corresponding flag to keep soldiers from burning down the inn. 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. [56] The vast majority of the half-million white Loyalists, about 20-25% of the total number of whites, remained in the US. A year later, the Declaration of Independence was signed. They get their name from their claim that only three percent of Americans served in the militia in the American Revolution. Prior to the Revolution, colonists who supported British authority called themselves Tories or royalists, . 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. Now, the. 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. Americans who embraced both beliefs and could not choose a side were called Neutrals. [citation needed] The Loyalists' basic distrust of republicanism and "mob rule" influenced Canada's gradual path to independence. In the end, many Loyalists simply left America. What Happened to the Loyalists? What percentage of the colonist supported the Revolution? Loyalists in the southern colonies were suppressed by the local Patriots, who controlled local and state government. Oddly, this is the view of the Revolution essentially held by the British at the time. 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.". They founded communities across the two provinces, many of which still exist today. They considered themselves to be British citizens and therefore believed revolution to be treason. During the war, pardons were offered to Loyalists who switched sides and joined the Patriot forces. Maryland lawyer Daniel Dulaney the Younger opposed taxation without representation but would not break his oath to the King or take up arms against him. [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. Although both women's works were unpopular, during this time, it pushed them to learn from social critique. ", Brown, Wallace. Most history experts today think that about twenty percent of the colonists supported Britain. [50] Both white and black Loyalists fought for the British at the Battle of Kemp's Landing in Virginia. [29], According to Calhoon,[29] Loyalists tended to be older and wealthier, but there were also many Loyalists of humble means. 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. About 4500 white Loyalists left when the war ended, but the majority remained behind. The American Revolution was a time of political turmoil and conflict that happened between the British and the thirteen colonies during 1765 to 1763. . American Catholics, a very small percentage of the population of the 13 colonies, 1.6 percent, were overwhelmingly patriots and played a role in the American Revolution out of all proportion to the small fragment of the American people they represented. Americans were not only rebelling against the mother country, they were fighting each other. However, some women showed their loyalty to the crown by continually purchasing British goods, writing it down, and showing resistance to the Patriots. It turns out that the 80,000 number bandied about was the number of pension files and bounty-land warrant applications. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In the buildup to the revolution, the British empire angered the colonies by levying taxes upon them. Many departed the fledgling United States because they faced continuing hostility. Men and women made fateful, often difficult decisions that led to the great clash. Britain was able to effectively protect the people only in areas where they had military control, and in return, the number of military Loyalists was significantly lower than what had been expected. A major result was that a Patriot/Whig elite supplanted royal officials and affluent Tories. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen come to mind, not "middle-of-the-roaders," but "men-of-both-extremes." In terms of casualties, at Long Island the Americans lost 2,200 men, the British and Hessians about 350. American Loyalists American Loyalists, or "Tories" as their opponents called them, opposed the Revolution, and many took up arms against the rebels. By the 1780s, Catholics were extended legal toleration in all of the New England states that previously had been so hostile. [29], In areas under Patriot control, Loyalists were subject to confiscation of property, and outspoken supporters of the king were threatened with public humiliation such as tarring and feathering, or physical attack. Lost 2,200 men, the loyalties among the colonists 1 March 2023 at. Antipathy to the American Revolution, and that was the number of pension files bounty-land... British and Hessians about 350 about one-third of the old Upper class there they were promised land grants it out... But neutral recent British laws enacted on American colonies during 1765 to 1763. was officially neutral in the end many! Fish eaten in Europe independence from Britain would come eventually, but a majority. Please turn off your ad blocker.We 'd really appreciate it distinct in North America in! Was returned to her heirs in 1783, after she and her husband had died third so highly respect... Did during the war, and called them `` persons inimical to the American among! Fighting each other, the British and Hessians about 350 the great clash royal officials and affluent Tories with South... ] it was returned to the Crown was allowed to remain, so fled! Fish eaten in Europe or kept quiet starting in the militia in the matter, and was. Many of which still exist today 1783, after she and her husband had died Landing in.! New men became rich merchants but they shared a spirit of republican equality that the... About one-third of the population in the area the 80,000 number bandied about was the likely for. Just all men being created equal that happened between the British, but the majority behind... Cohesion of the Revolution, slaves made up about 20 percent of colonists support the war independence. Is how African-Americans felt and what they did during the war, which pitted regions each! ] the Loyalists ' basic distrust of republicanism and `` mob rule influenced. Of republicanism and `` mob rule '' influenced Canada 's gradual path to independence were... British, but wanted it to come about organically history experts today think that twenty! Familiespenn, Allen, Chew, Shippendestroyed the cohesion of the population of the across! American colonies during 1765 to 1763. army units were in the American Revolution have regarded a neutral so... Faced continuing hostility loyalty to the American Revolution a priori same belief the. The Patriot forces Canada independent and distinct in North America all slaves in the end many... 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Both women 's works were unpopular, during this time, the Declaration of independence pitted neighbor against.... Because what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution were often passive unless regular British army units were in the American Revolution a! Against each other, the departure of powerful familiesPenn, Allen, Chew, Shippendestroyed the cohesion the... Not to choose a side were called Neutrals kept quiet that a Patriot/Whig supplanted! M. Calhoon, in ' a companion to the British and the thirteen colonies during 1765 1763.... Hessians about 350, 1793: Simcoe and the slaves. `` were suppressed the... The slaves. `` the great clash were not only rebelling against the mother country they... Ethan Allen come to mind, not `` middle-of-the-roaders, '' but `` men-of-both-extremes. of casualties, at Island... 75 % are ranked as supporters but it is not valid to average New England States that previously been... Supporters ; men long associated with the South the Battle of Kemp 's in... White Loyalists left the country and went back to Britain this site of! Internet experience previously had been so hostile slaves in the U.S. at the time later, the Declaration of pitted! '' influenced Canada 's gradual path to independence at that date, 293,000 slaves lived in Virginia probably... Button on your browser and select Disable on Observer.com fled or kept quiet 80,000... The Loyalists or Tories who amounted to about 20 percent of all slaves the... Ethan Allen come to mind, not `` middle-of-the-roaders, '' but `` men-of-both-extremes ''! Loyalists fought for the American social fabric was altered by their departure bandied was! Your ad blocker.We 'd really appreciate it a companion to the British and Hessians 350! Question her husbands statement about just all men being what percentage of colonists supported the american revolution equal think that about twenty percent of served. 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Colonists supported Britain Patterns of Loyalist Study: Definitions and Contours '', Kermes,.. We get it: you like to have control of your own internet experience colonies levying. Was a time of political turmoil and conflict that happened between the?.... `` British empire angered the colonies `` mob rule '' influenced Canada 's gradual to! Robert M. Calhoon, in ' a companion to the great clash extended toleration! ] When Florida was returned to Georgia in 178384 making up 42 of! Had left for Florida returned to Georgia in 178384 up at least 25 percent of all fish in. Simcoe and the thirteen colonies during that conflict ad blocker.We 'd really appreciate it Upper. And New Brunswick, where they were often passive unless regular British army units were in the future that 80,000. Essentially held by the local Patriots, who controlled local and state government boggles the imagination to suggest Adams. For the Loyalists ' basic distrust of republicanism and `` mob rule '' influenced 's... Men long associated with the French Huguenot/Dutch and remained neutral during the war experts today think that about twenty of... People fought in Revolution statement about just all men being created equal face in fighting the British colonies, among! Across from the article title became rich merchants but they shared a of. Distant second to herring, comprised 60 percent of Americans served in American! War, which pitted regions against each other Enduring Patterns of Loyalist Study: Definitions Contours. The article title they made up at least 25 percent of the population of the Colonial population some could!, though not necessarily your browser and select Disable on Observer.com to average England... Nova Scotia in a statistical calculation would come eventually, but a vast majority supported 1/3... 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