Loyalists in the American Revolution

Why This Matters

The American Revolution wasn't a simple story of united colonists rising against British tyranny—it was a civil war that tore apart communities, families, and even households. Understanding Loyalists is essential because the AP exam tests your ability to analyze multiple perspectives, the complexity of revolutionary movements, and how identity shaped political allegiance. You're being tested on why roughly one-third of colonists opposed independence and what their choices reveal about colonial society.

Loyalists also demonstrate critical course themes: migration and its consequences, the role of marginalized groups in shaping historical outcomes, and how wars create winners and losers beyond the battlefield. Don't just memorize names—know what each Loyalist figure or group illustrates about the tensions between liberty and order, self-interest and ideology, and inclusion and exclusion in the revolutionary era.

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Colonial Officials: Defenders of Imperial Order

These figures believed that British rule provided stability, prosperity, and legitimate governance. Their opposition to independence stemmed from institutional loyalty and genuine conviction that revolution would bring chaos.

Thomas Hutchinson

• Last royal governor of Massachusetts—his enforcement of unpopular acts like the Stamp Act made him a lightning rod for colonial anger
• Believed British rule was essential for order—viewed Patriot protests as dangerous mob action threatening social stability
• His letters were leaked by Benjamin Franklin in 1773, destroying his credibility and forcing his exile to England

William Franklin

• Last royal governor of New Jersey and illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin—his loyalty to Britain created one of the Revolution's most famous family ruptures
• Actively organized Loyalist resistance—arrested by Patriots in 1776 and imprisoned for two years
• Never reconciled with his father—their estrangement illustrates how the Revolution divided even the closest relationships

Joseph Galloway

• Proposed the Galloway Plan at the First Continental Congress—a compromise creating an American parliament under British authority
• Viewed independence as a path to anarchy—genuinely believed colonial grievances could be resolved within the empire
• Fled to Britain after 1778—his property was confiscated, demonstrating the real costs of choosing the losing side

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Military Leaders and Defectors: Fighting for the Crown

Loyalism wasn't just a political position—it required military commitment. These figures took up arms against their neighbors, revealing how ideological conflict escalated into organized violence.

Benedict Arnold

• Initially a celebrated Patriot general—his victories at Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga were crucial to early American success
• Defected to the British in 1780 after feeling overlooked for promotion and facing financial troubles—offered to surrender West Point for money and a commission
• Became synonymous with treason—his name remains an American epithet, showing how collective memory shapes historical legacy

John Butler

• Commander of Butler's Rangers—a Loyalist regiment that conducted devastating raids on the New York and Pennsylvania frontier
• Led the Cherry Valley and Wyoming Valley massacres—these attacks on Patriot settlements fueled cycles of retaliatory violence
• Coordinated with Iroquois allies—his tactics blurred lines between conventional warfare and frontier conflict

Loyalist Regiments (King's American Regiment, Queen's Rangers)

• Approximately 19,000 colonists served in Loyalist military units—more than many students realize, challenging the myth of universal Patriot support
• Recruited from diverse backgrounds—included former British soldiers, recent immigrants, and colonists with economic ties to the empire
• Often fought in their home regions—making the Revolution a literal neighbor-against-neighbor civil war

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Marginalized Groups: Freedom and Survival Over Ideology

For enslaved people and Native Americans, the Revolution wasn't primarily about abstract political principles—it was about survival, freedom, and protecting their communities. Their choices reveal the limits of Patriot rhetoric about liberty.

Black Loyalists

• Lord Dunmore's Proclamation (1775) promised freedom to enslaved people who escaped Patriot masters and served the British—thousands responded
• Approximately 20,000 Black people joined British forces—exposing the contradiction between Patriot liberty rhetoric and the reality of American slavery
• Many evacuated to Nova Scotia, Sierra Leone, and the Bahamas after the war—founding communities like Birchtown, though they often faced discrimination in their new homes

Native American Allies (Joseph Brant and the Iroquois)

• Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) was a Mohawk leader who allied with Britain to protect Iroquois lands from American expansion
• Most Iroquois nations sided with Britain—correctly recognizing that American victory would accelerate westward settlement onto their territory
• The Sullivan-Clinton Campaign (1779) destroyed dozens of Iroquois villages in retaliation—devastating the Confederacy and foreshadowing post-war dispossession

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Geographic Strongholds: Where Loyalism Thrived

Loyalist support wasn't evenly distributed—it concentrated in areas with strong economic ties to Britain, recent immigration, or geographic vulnerability. Understanding these patterns helps explain why the war lasted so long.

Loyalist Strongholds (New York City, Charleston)

• New York City remained under British control from 1776 to 1783—serving as the headquarters for Loyalist refugees and British military operations
• The Southern backcountry had significant Loyalist populations—Charleston fell to the British in 1780, and the war in the South became particularly brutal
• Loyalist strength in coastal cities reflected their dependence on Atlantic trade networks tied to the British Empire

Loyalist Exodus to Canada and British Territories

• Approximately 60,000-80,000 Loyalists fled after the war—one of the largest refugee movements in American history
• Nova Scotia's population doubled with Loyalist arrivals; Upper Canada (Ontario) was essentially founded by Loyalist refugees
• Loyalists lost property worth millions—the Treaty of Paris promised compensation, but most never received adequate payment

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Quick Reference Table

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Self-Check Questions

1. Which two groups—Black Loyalists and Native American allies—both made strategic rather than ideological choices to support Britain, and how did their goals differ?

2. Compare Joseph Galloway's approach to resolving colonial grievances with Thomas Hutchinson's. Why might the AP exam ask you to distinguish between compromise-seekers and enforcers of British policy?

3. If an FRQ asked you to explain how the American Revolution functioned as a civil war, which three examples from this guide would you use, and why?

4. How does the Loyalist exodus to Canada illustrate the concept of migration as a consequence of political conflict—a theme that appears throughout AP U.S. History?

5. Why is Benedict Arnold remembered as a traitor while John Butler is largely forgotten, even though both fought against American independence? What does this reveal about how historical memory is constructed?