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Loyalists: Unjustified Or Justified?

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The British Parliament stockpiled numerous taxes onto the colonies of America, such as the well-known Stamp Act of 1765. Alas two groups were formed that stood out, being the rebels and the loyalists. The rebels vowed for independence, their numbers growing stronger and stronger through the Quartering Act and such. On the other hand, the loyalists wanted to keep their trust in Great Britain. They both had their own opinions of the king and Parliament and were justified in their own eyes, but both groups were also unjustified in the point of view of both beholders. From the loyalist perspective, the rebels were unjustified, and the same for the vice versa. In the cartoon of The British Lion Engaging Four Powers from London in 1782, the lion …show more content…

In Thomas Paine’s Common Sense of 1776, he stated, “We are already greater than the king wishes us to be, and will he not hereafter endeavor to make us less?...Is the power who is jealous of our prosperity, a proper power to govern us?” The rebel-made Declaration of Independence justifies Paine with the accusation that the king has cut “off our Trade with all parts of the world,” (Declaration of Independence, 3). Trade has made the colonies an extremely wealthy place, so the king is therefore cutting-off the colonies’ success. The Declaration of Independence is then supporting Paine’s argument, a rebel-justifying-another rebel situation. According to Martin Howard, a loyalist, “wether born in Great Britain, on the ocean, or in the colonies; and it is in this sense we are said to enjoy all the rights and privileges of Englishmen,” (89). Another loyalist, Joseph Galloway in 1765 wrote to the New York Gazette that America along with the colonists “will pay her proportion of aids when requisite and demanded,” (Colonists Respond to Stamp Act, 7). To enjoy the rights and privileges of Englishmen, every subject including the colonists had to pay their taxes. Galloway agreed with Martin’s point, justifying him with the guarantee that for the happiness of Great Britain, who cared so much for America, the colonists would indeed be required to pay their duties. Rebels justified rebels and loyalists justified loyalists because they all strived to accomplish their goals of either independence or service for the

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Along with the many colonists that wanted to see the colonies become separated from the mother country there were debaters. People that owed big money to Great Britain were patriots as if they became separated from the mother country the debtors hoped that all debt owed would be abolished. Also similarly to the loyalists the patriots were mainly from one spot, not to say there couldn’t be patriots in the southern colonies or vice versa, but many patriots came from the new england colonies such as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, etc… Document 4 was written by Thomas Paine, a very influential patriot who explained in his writing why the loyalist arguments were wrong or at least he thought so. According to paine Great Britain did not protect her colonies because her motive was centered around self interest and she wanted to protect Britain from her enemies to benefit those living in Britain. Paine also described Great Britain's behavior as savage and shameful as, ‘even brutes don’t devour their own and nor even do savages, make war upon their family.’

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According to Benjamin Franklin, “Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.” In relation to this, many of the colonists believed that the natural freedom that belonged to them under God, was stripped away from them under British rule. Years after years of unfair actions opposed upon the colonists by the British eventually led the colonists to take action against them in an attempt to gain freedom and independence. After the French and Indian war, Britain was left in debt and looked to the colonists for revenue. They exercised certain acts such as the Sugar Act 1764, Stamp Act 1765, and Townshend Revenue Acts of 1767, that unfairly taxed and restricted the colonists.

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As the colonies sought to break free from British rule and establish an independent nation, the American Revolution was an important turning point in history. However, not all colonists held the same viewpoint on this issue. Loyalists and Patriots emerged as two separate groups with opposing perspectives on American independence from British rule. The opposing views of Loyalists and Patriots on American independence from Great Britain can be analyzed through the perspectives of loyalty to the crown, economic interests, political rights and representation, and social and cultural identity, revealing the complex issues and motivations behind each group's position during the American Revolution. Loyalists, also known as Tories, were strong advocates of the British Crown.

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Loyalist were the group of Americans that were most likely to remain loyal to England. The loyalist were about 20% of the colonies population and even though they believed King George III wasn’t doing anything wrong some of them even fought in the war against England. Loyalist believed in John Locke’s theory about natural rights and limited government. The loyalist just wanted peace between America and King George III. Loyalist lived all over the colonies.

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Thomas Paine wrote the pamphlet Common Sense in 1776, the year in which the American revolution took place. Paine wrote this as a call to the American people, to get them to join in the movement to separate from Great Britain. In 1776, the American colonies were ruled by English monarch King George III, who many viewed as an unfair tyrant who completely disregarded the needs of the colonists, and whose reign was a “...long and violent abuse of power…” Paine agreed, as he believed that the colonists were “...grievously oppressed…” and were not granted adequate representation, nor seen as the British citizens which the colonists believed that they were. Motivated by distaste for the English monarchy, over the treatment of the American colonies,

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The British government was not looking for the best of the people. They were only thinking about what they wanted; the government was not interested in what the people wanted so they decided to make decisions on their own, which resulted in changes that form the United States today. Because of this, they were justified in rebelling and declaring independence. One reason why the colonists decided to rebel and declare independence was because of taxation.

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Paine expresses his thoughts in his most famous work “Common Sense”, where he writes passionately about the reasons to become an independent country. In his opinion, “everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation”. He argues that there is not a single advantage of staying a British colony, while the disadvantages are numerous (Paine 644). Likewise, Jefferson states in “A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled” that it is necessary for the colonies “to expunge their former systems of government”. Further, in the Declaration he describes all the causes for becoming an independent country free from the tyranny of the king of Great Britain, stating that the colonies have experienced “unremitting injuries and usurpations” (Jefferson 663).

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In 1774, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, home to Thomas Paine, to achieve two objectives: list American grievances and plan for resistance against British rule, thus creating the Declarations of Rights and Grievances (Norton, 2012). From 1774 to 1775 resistance movements were gaining momentum against Britain, however a statement of total separation from the monarch had not been explicitly declared. A year later, in 1776, when Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was published, American independence gained support. Paine’s Common Sense, which argues against the corruption of a ruling monarchy, condemns British treatment of Americans, and advocates America’s “natural right” to institute a new government presents compelling arguments for an American declaration of independence. This pamphlet held its popularity because it plainly presented arguments towards independence in “a formula anyone could understand” (Oliphant,

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colonies. At its best, he addressed the lack of common sense when he says, “Common sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, is of all others the most improper to defend us. Conquest may be effected under the pretence of friendship; and ourselves, after a long and brave resistance, be at last cheated into slavery” (Paine, 1792). He used a demanding tone to address the issue of slavery, “Whenever a war breaks out between England and any foreign power, the trade of America goes to ruin, because of her connection with Britain” (Paine, 1792).

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Many circumstances have, and will arise, which are not local, but universal, and through which the principles of all Lovers of Mankind are affected, and in the Event of which, their Affections are interested (Paine, 1776)”. Thomas Paine disagrees with the British government and the way they handling business he encouraged Americas to declare their independence. The Declaration of independence was a documented created by Thomas Jefferson that announced the split from the colonies and Great Britain, it. The Declaration of Independence states “we hold these…all men are created equal...with certain unalienable rights...that when any form of government becomes destructive... It is the right of the people to alter or abolish it (Jefferson, 1776)”.

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“The history of present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations [unlawful seizures], all having in direct object the establishments of an absolute Tyranny over these States. ”(Document E). The British taxed just about anything they could; like tea, paper, legal documents, and stamps “Committees are appointed into the characters and conduct of every tradesman, to prevent them selling tea or buying British manufactures. ”(Document I) The British were taxing the American colonists to pay what Britain lost in the French and Indian war.

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Anthony III Lewandowski (2013) pointed out that independence brings success like, “free trade with all nations, not just great Britain” (P.20). Economics innovation was an important factor Paine supports because he believed under the monarchy there will not be prosperity. He saw no point being stuck to one nation without the liberty of producing commerce with the entire world. The Author of Thomas Paine: Author of American Independence (2013) argues that there was a correlation between Paine’s vision about democracy and economy which says” Monarchies were more likely to go to war” (P.20). Pain was certain that monarchies were more liable to create warfare and mislead the economy.

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