Loyalists During The American Revolution

The American Revolution is often described as a war built off of the unity of the American Colonists, who all rallied together to defeat a common enemy: The British. Although the American Colonists won the war, not all the colonists necessarily supported the Revolution. In fact, it is estimated that half of the colonists were either neutral in the matter, or they were Loyalists, meaning they were loyal to Britain. The American Revolution was a war fought for independence from the British, but it was also a war between the colonists themselves. The colonists were so divided during the American Revolution that it could also be considered a civil war as much as it was a war for liberation. During the American Revolution, the American colonists

Another small group in terms of percentage were the dedicated Patriots,” (ushistory.org). According to the text, the Loyalists and Patriots were both small percentages of the colonists, with the neutralists making up most of the colonists. The Patriots and the Loyalists both knew that they needed more of the neutralists to join their cause, so both groups started putting out propaganda for their cause. In the end, the Patriots were more successful in this fight. According to USHistory.org, “American patriots won the war of propaganda. Committees of Correspondence persuaded many fence-sitters to join the patriot cause,” (ushistory.org). Various propaganda pieces, including “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine, persuaded many neutralists to have more American pride, causing them to join the cause of the Patriots. The American Revolution certainly caused a civil war between the Patriots and the Loyalists. Because the Revolutionary War was so divisive, many Americans suffered as a result. Most Loyalists suffer the most. During the war, the Patriots were not tolerant of anyone who called themselves a Loyalist and would often harass