The War of Independence in the United States 1775-1783 it is not only the struggle of the colonies with the mother country. The split also occurred in the community of colonists. The emerging warring parties were called patriots and loyalists. About who they are, whose interests they expressed, what they sought, will be discussed in the article.
Loyalists are ...
The British Empire exerted its influence on regions in different parts of the world. Without hesitation, intervened in the fate of European states. Any confrontation with her automatically meant that the conflict would continue not only on the battlefields in Europe, but also in the colonies. The history of Canada illustrates this perfectly. This state was originally a French colony, but it was here that the conflict of interests of two European states was clearly manifested, involving the local Indian population in the bloody events. In the British colonies of North America during the War of Independence, not all circles were profitable to leave the protectorate of Great Britain. People supporting the crown and British laws are loyalists. The camp opposing them, dreaming of new bourgeois transformations, but without the power of the king in this territory are patriots.
Reasons for the discontent of the masses
The first to try to draw attention to pressing economic issues with the aim of revising laws on fairer terms were patriots. They sought the abolition of fixed annuity, a wider representation in local governments. But it was "the voice of one crying in the wilderness."
They were poorly organized, scattered and had no support from the townspeople. Their spontaneous discontent was very quickly suppressed by the royal troops. Only when the British government increased taxes, duties and various requisitions, the patience of the people burst. To this we can add that some training (provocations, sabotage, boycott of British goods, murders of the most odious British officials) was carried out by the “Sons of Freedom”. Their main goal was achieved - the passions in the colonies went through the roof. The population began to arm themselves, repair various obstacles to government officials.
The famous "Boston Tea Party" is an example of the reaction of the people to the ill-considered tax policy of England. The split in society clearly identified two camps. Large landowners from among the English aristocracy and clergy are loyalists. They were opposed by petty merchants, farmers, hired workers who opposed the English royal yoke. The catalyst for this confrontation can be considered Payne's pamphlets, in which he clearly explained that all kings are crowned villains. Colonies need to live independently, without interfering in the politics of European states, but only maintain purely trade relations.
The beginning of hostilities
The situation by 1775 was clearly starting to get out of hand. The separatists used guerrilla warfare tactics to set up ambushes. Minutemen volunteer units appear, ready to speak at any time. In addition, in the history of Canada there was a moment when this territory, which was under the protectorate of France, could be involved in the conflict. The patriots, rightly regarding the inaction of British England as a manifestation of weakness, made an attempt to invade Canada, but, in time, the realized army stopped these dangerous creeps.
The starting point of an open bloody confrontation is considered an event in Boston. This refers to the attempt by General Gage to arrest the rebels. He received information about a large cache of weapons. It was necessary to take a series of decisive, tough measures. Sent punitive detachment ran into an ambush. A bloody whirlwind of vivid episodes and events of the war of independence passed through the territory of the colonies, involving new countries in the conflict (France, Spain).
Loyalists loyal to the British government (Tory colonists) voluntarily joined the army. Nevertheless, the professional imperial armed forces, even with the support of the loyalists and some Indian tribes, could not suppress this rebellion, which began to grow like a snowball.
Conclusion
According to historians, this war claimed about 200,000 lives on both sides. Another 100,000 people were forced to leave their homes and property, as there was no longer any place for them in the new society and state. These are the loyalists who remained faithful sons of the British Empire. The government, as it could, compensated for their losses.