Read the following accounting of one of the leading Loyalists in the colonies. What factors would keep an American loyal to Britain? (Think political, economic, social) What dangers did loyalists face?
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/fall96/loyalists.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
19 comments:
I think that being a loyalist must have been hard in the New World, especially, with so many radicals (or people becoming radicals) I think politically, you would always be questioned, and called out on your opinions. If you were a loyalist, living in a town of Radicals, you more then likely got more then the evil eye. I think some factors that would keep Americans loyal to Britian would include fear of what would happen to the Americans if Britian found out. Also, I think that you just form an opnion on your own, and maybe they are stubborn people who like the way things are, (ruled by Britian) and maybe they are afraid of change.
I think the main reason loyalists kept loyal was because of fear of what would happen to the colonists if America failed in their independence struggle. If Britian won, the colonists would be severly punished and the radicals would be the first. Also the loyalists were the rich folks who couldn't afford to lose their share of the profit. The Plain Truth pamphlet was directed to poor people.As Samuel Seabury, an anglican clergyman of the time stated, "If I must be enslaved let it be by a King at least, and not by a parcel of upstart lawless Committeemen. If I must be devoured, let me be devoured by the jaws of a lion, and not gnawed to death by rats and vermin." Seabury here shows his support for Britan because of the magestic wonders and pride of the great nation, however he also deminishes the radicals by compairing them to rats and vermin.
I think that the loyalists definitely had it harder than it is usually described in American history books. There had to be a huge fear in the loyalists, since they were living among people who were trying to overthrow the government they believed in. I think the loyalists stayed loyal to England because America would have had a lot to lose if they lost the war. England would, in punishment, probably tax them more or impose even more on the country. The loyalists were fearful, and they stayed loyal out of fear, even though the should've been scared of the Patriots.
the loyalists really had a hard time over in america during the revolution. i believe that one of the reasons for their loyalty to england was that they didn't want to face the repercussions if they lost the war. they might have also simply not believed in the american cause.
I think there are many factors that would give Americans a reason to stay loyal to Britian. First of all, if you were a wealthy person and not wanting to risk losing anything, why start a revolution when you can stay exactly as you are? things weren't bad for the upper class, which was the loyalists, so why break away from the country that gave you so much? the poorer class, the people with more expectations and not at risk of losing much of anything, are the ones that were more interested in starting a revolution because they are the ones that wanted change, and a better lifestyle. As dubes said, it must have been diffucult living in a town full of radicals if you were the only loyalist...but if you were that loyal to britian, why leave?
Being a loyalist would be incredibly hard. You would be surrounded by radicals with few other loyalists. The choice was probably made because the radical said that either you totally agree with us or you are with Britian. It could also have been a decision like the Indians had where they chose who they thought was going to win so they would benifit from the results.
These loyalist where generally wealthy people. I could see how they would want to side with the British because most likely that would be were they got there money. In the case of the Marylanders that were mentioned in this document I could see them disagreeing with the colonists for a different reason. Because they are from Maryland the chances are they are Catholic, because Maryland was founded by as a Catholic colony. They have a very different view of religion as new Americans of the enlightenment did. Maybe I'm looking to deep into this but it is worth a try.
The loyalist answer to "Common Sense" was forgotten in the colonies because the radical Americans were typically more vocal than the loyalists but the argument that they brought to the table was valid. However when this was written Americans were past the point of negotiation and so it only appealed to the loyalist community and not the neutral whigs.
I believe that the loyalists had a hard time in America during the Revolutionary War; virtually all the colonists wanted to become independent. Chalmers said that the colonists were not ready to have a democratical form of government he felt that this would be too much responsibility considering all the laws and decisions were made for them in England. I think that the loyalists were afraid that if they severed ties with England, they would have to pay the price when England won the war.
For the loyalist party they would be the forgotten side in a inner civil war during the revolution. Loyalists had many reason to wanna stay with Britain cause they consisted of the wealthy and poor. They could of lived in fear of what would happen if America lost, they could of liked the way Britain had things and not wanted to stop being British. They were the conferderate party of our civil war. Also the upper class could of been profiting from Britain and didn't want to lose out on money. Their were many factors as to why u remained loyal but it is known they had it rough in the revolution for they were forced to flee and follow the british troops losing any profit or hope of a peaceful solution like they wished.
First off, the reason why the loyalists are not very well documented is because history is written by the winners.
That being said, I think the reasons why a few colonists remained "hard core loyalists" was 1) because they had easy living. Chalmers was a wealthy man who had nothing to gain from the revolution. When the revolution struck, he surrounded himself in wealthy eastern shore loyalists. The wealthy and the well educated were the ones that were the loyalists. Also, 2) the thought of democracy was not very appealing to everyone. And 3) wars were deathly expensive. Finally 4) there was no way that the colonists could win without help and what European superpower would help them? These all kept them loyal. But the danger they faced for being loyal was the mob of radical separatists that would tar and feather their bums without looking twice.
And who was this Chalmers fellow? Has anyone asked any questions regarding his mental or moral character? Why is he so mysterious? How did he get so much money in the twenty shady years of his life in the British West Indies?
Since most loyalists were wealthy, I think that they may have remained loyal to Britain becuase its system worked for them. They didn't want to change because the system that Britain had in place obviously worked to their advantage because they had money...
If the people are so afraid of change, as dubey says, then why would they move to a different continent? It seems that the loyalists were happy with the way things were in England so as jenn says, why leave? I can see that it would be hard to be a loyalists living amoungst radicals who were trying to break away from and over throw a government that you see fit. Also the loyalists were wealthy and they got their money from England, so why would they try to separate from their money source? Whereas the poorer class didn't have that same thing to lose because they werent really recieving any money from England. So the poor had a lot less to lose than the upper class who remained loyal. In that respect i can see how the loyalists would remain loyal to the english throne. But still i have to ask why would they want to leave in the first place....?
The first thing i noticed in this rather elongated tale was the rebuttle in the title of Chalmer's work. i find it great that the title is Plain Truth to contridict Common Sense. I think Chalmer's comments in plain truth to be very outlandish and insignificant to even the most extreme loyalists to Britain. In no way does Chalmer's ever try to incite the British to beat the Colonists he only gives the reasons they should win. Let him not look only to the past to examples like the 300 Greeks at Thermopalea holding of the Persian Army. History shows that numbers alone do not win wars. I think that Chalmer's finds himself to intertwined with the subject to be an effective persuasion agianst the simple language used in Common sense. His pamphlet was only another reason for the colonists to get pissed off at the british. Chalmer's seems to be the complete opposite of the chalmer's in our class i personally see no resemblance except for when Jenn might yell at someone
Being a loyalist had to have been very difficult during the revolutionary war. Everyone else wanted to be seperated from england, but they on the other hand were loyal to england. THey were scared that if they lost the war, that the punishments would be harsh for them.
It can be argued that, although the states had desirable qualities, the loyalists still remained loyal to Britain. The states were still finding a stable government, while in England, Parliament had been continuous. This was probably the same with the economy. England had continued to be an overall well balanced country, and the U.S. was still a little shaky. The loyalists were living within a society where many were anti-England and probably were strongly disliked.
Being a loyalist during the revolution was most likely risky business. Politically, people must have hidden their thoughts and opinions, out of fear of persectuion. Socially, the tories whose beliefs were known must have been outcasts, making their own sub-communitees. They must have been discrminated against economically aswell, for the local powers would have known who they were.
Loyalist life in Revolutionary America seems like no fun. They got absolutely no glory from their fellow Americans and had to do the dirty jobs of the British. At least, the mentioned Marylanders did. Maryland was a colony belonging to the king, so many of its citizens most likely believed that they were citizens of the crown.
Some factors which may have kept the few loyalist true to the crown could be their polotical stance over in england and how high in power they were dependent upon their actions and behaivors over in the new land. Another reason could be thier economical and social status which could increase if their loyalty remained. There were also many dangers for being a loyalist during the revolution including the fact that they were indeed a minority and Thomas Paines "Common Sense" was altering the mindset of a majority of the colonist which isolated the loyalist leading to upsetting results.
Post a Comment