American Loyalists

American Loyalists were colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, opposing independence or refusing to support the Patriot cause.

Loyalist migration: The movement of American Loyalists from the rebelling colonies to other parts of the British Empire during and after the Revolution. The war drove tens of thousands of Loyalists to seek refuge under British rule.
Provincial troops (American Revolution): Military units recruited from American colonists who served the British during the American Revolution. These regiments gave Loyalists a formal route into the British war effort.
American Revolution: The political and military conflict in which thirteen British colonies in North America became independent states. The Revolution created the conflict that divided colonists into Patriot and Loyalist camps.
Joseph Brant: A Mohawk leader and British military officer who allied with Britain during the American Revolution. His alliance illustrates how Indigenous leaders made strategic choices amid the colonial rebellion.
Neutrality (American Revolution): The effort by individuals or communities to avoid taking sides in the American Revolution. Neutrality differed from active Crown allegiance, though both could involve refusing Patriot mobilization.
United Empire Loyalists: American Loyalists who settled in British North America after the American Revolution and whose descendants received an official designation in Canada. Their settlement helped shape the population and institutions of what became Canada.
Loyalist refugees: People who left their homes in the rebelling colonies because of their allegiance to Britain or the dangers of the war. Flight became a way to avoid Patriot pressure, violence, and penalties for loyalty.
Patriot (American Revolution): A supporter of independence from Britain during the American Revolution. Patriots pursued independence, while Loyalists resisted or declined to support that break.
Thomas Hutchinson: A Massachusetts-born colonial official and historian who remained loyal to Britain and became governor of Massachusetts. His career shows how imperial officeholders became prominent Loyalist targets.
Republicanism in the United States: A political tradition emphasizing popular sovereignty and opposition to hereditary monarchy in the United States. Its rejection of monarchical authority marks a central ideological divide with Loyalist commitments.

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