Expulsion of the Loyalists
Encyclopedia
During the American Revolution
, those loyal to King George III of Great Britain came to be known as Loyalists
. After Great Britain
was defeated by the Americans
and the French
at Yorktown
, Loyalists were regarded by the new Americans as traitors to the cause of Independence. The Loyalists had rejected the republican ideals of the American Revolution and were offered free land in British North America
. Many were prominent Americans, whose ancestors had originally settled in the early 17th century, while a portion were recent settlers in the Thirteen Colonies
with few economic or social ties. Many had their property confiscated by the rebels
These Loyalists were expelled from the new nation of the United States
, and resettled in what was initially the Province of Quebec
(including modern-day Ontario
), and in Nova Scotia
(including modern-day New Brunswick
). Their arrival marked the beginning of a predominantly English-speaking
population in the future Canada
west and east of the Quebec border. Many Loyalists from the American South brought their slaves with them as slavery
was also legal in Canada
. An imperial law in 1790 assured prospective immigrants to Canada that their slaves would remain their property. However most black Loyalists were free, having been given their freedom from slavery by fighting for the British or joining British lines during the Revolution. The government helped them resettle in Canada as well, transporting nearly 3500 free blacks to New Brunswick.
of Concord, Massachusetts
(who later became a Chief Justice of New Brunswick) stated: "Better to live under one tyrant a thousand miles away, than a thousand tyrants one mile away."
was a wealthy landowner before the revolution. He did not share the republicanism of his more independence-minded countrymen. Therefore, during the revolution he formed a guerrilla force to disrupt the Continental (American) Army's supply lines, demoralize settlers, and attack Republican paramilitary groups not unlike his own.
refused to tolerate the Loyalists. There was too much at stake during the revolution to do otherwise. If the revolution failed, the Republicans were sure to be persecuted by the Loyalists. Great Britain
also had a stronger economy and industrial base. It had a larger population to draw from and a more experienced army. Most important of all, they possessed the world's strongest navy
capable of striking the coast of any one of the Thirteen Colonies
unopposed at any time. However, the Thirteen Colonies had the homeland advantage. Therefore, to make proper use of this small advantage, Loyalists could not be tolerated. (The Second Spanish Republic
faced a similar issue with the Fifth Column
during the Spanish Civil War
.)
It was at the hands of the mob that the Loyalists first suffered persecution. Probably the worst of the revolutionary mobs was that which paraded the streets of Boston
. In 1765, at the time of the Stamp Act
agitation, large crowds in Boston attacked and destroyed the magnificent houses of Andrew Oliver
and Thomas Hutchinson
. They broke down the doors with broadaxes, destroyed the furniture, stole the money and jewels, scattered the books and papers, and, having drunk the wines in the cellar, proceeded to the dismantling of the roof and walls. The owners of the houses barely escaped with their lives. In 1768, the same mob deliberately attacked the British troops in Boston, and so precipitated what American historians used to term 'the Boston Massacre'. In 1773, white Bostonians dressed up as Indians, the famous 'Boston Tea Party
' threw the tea into Boston harbor.
The excesses of the mob were nearly as great in other places throughout the colonies. In New York
they were active in destroying printing-presses from which had issued Tory pamphlets, in breaking windows of private houses, in stealing livestock and personal effects, and in destroying property. A favorite pastime was tarring and feathering
'obnoxious Tories.' This consisted in stripping the victim naked, smearing him with a coat of hot tar to his skin and then mash feathers, and parading him about the streets in a cart for the contemplation of his neighbors. The tar would remain embedded in the victim's skin essentially for the remainder of their life. Another amusement was making Tories ride the rail
. This consisted in putting the 'unhappy victims upon sharp rails with one leg on each side; each rail was carried upon the shoulders of two tall men, with a man on each side to keep the poor wretch straight and fixed in his seat. In addition to being turned into human chickens, United Empire Loyalists
could also expect to receive beatings or to be lynch
ed upon "Liberty Tree
s." With mobs running about the countryside looking for Loyalists to punish, the rule of law completely broke down.
Numerous Loyalists were forced to abandon substantial amounts of property in the United States
. Restoration or compensation for this lost property was a major issue during the negotiation of the Jay Treaty
in 1795. Negotiations resulted on the concept of the United States negotiators 'advising' the US Congress to provide restitution
. For the English, this concept carried significant legal weight, far more than it did with the Americans; the U. S. Congress
declined to accept the advice. More than two centuries later, some of the descendants of Loyalists still assert claims to their ancestors' property in the United States.
After Yorktown
the British were left in control of only one significant stronghold, New York City
. In New York, Guy Carleton
, commander of British Forces, was confronted with two problems: firstly, the Continental Army
was fast approaching; and secondly, he had to find some way to evacuate thousands of British troops and Loyalists before the Americans arrived. To buy time the British fought a series of rear-guard actions to slow the Republican advance while the Royal Navy
hurriedly evacuated New York
.
. The motto of New Brunswick
, created out of Nova Scotia for loyalist settlement, is "Hope Restored".
Loyalist refugees, later called United Empire Loyalists
, began leaving at the end of the war whenever transport was available, at considerable loss of property and transfer of wealth. An estimated 70,000 left the thirteen newly independent states, representing about 3% of the total American population, of which 20-30% had supported the Crown during the American War for Independence. Approximately 51,000 were White (who also had 17,000 black slaves) and 8,000 Black; 37,000 were removed to Canada, 7,000 to Britain, and 17,000 to the Caribbean
.
Following the end of the Revolution and the signing of the Treaty of Paris
in 1783, Loyalist soldiers and civilians were evacuated from New York
and resettled in other colonies of the British Empire
, most notably in the future Canada. The two colonies of Nova Scotia (including modern-day New Brunswick), received about 34,000 Loyalist refugees; Prince Edward Island
2,000; and Quebec (including the Eastern Townships and modern-day Ontario) received some 10,000 refugees. Some unknown number, but in places a large percentage, of refugees were unable to establish themselves in British North America and eventually returned to the United States. Many in Canada continued to maintain close ties with relatives in the United States, and as well conducted commerce across the border without much regard to British trade laws.
Some of the richest and most prominent Loyalists went to Britain
to rebuild their lives, and many received pensions. Southern Loyalists, many taking along their slaves, went to the West Indies and the Bahamas, particularly to the Abaco Islands
.
Thousands of Iroquois and other pro-British Native Americans
were expelled from New York and other states and resettled in Canada. The descendants of one such group of Iroquois
, led by Joseph Brant Thayendenegea
, settled at Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest First Nations
Reserve
in Canada. Another smaller group of Iroquois settled on the shores of the Bay of Quinte
in modern day Southeastern Ontario.
The government settled numerous Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia, but they faced discrimination and inadequate support. The government was slow to survey their land (which meant they could not settle) and awarded them smaller grants in less convenient locations than those of white settlers. Further, they suffered discrimination by some of the whites. When Great Britain set up the colony of Sierra Leone
in Africa
, many Black Loyalists emigrated there for what they perceived as the chance of self-government and established Freetown
.
took over for Guy Carleton
as governor of Quebec
. Haldimand, like the previous governors of the Province of Quebec, appreciated the hard-working Canadiens and acted in his power to keep the English merchants in line.
The arrival of 10,000 Loyalists to Quebec in 1784 destroyed the political balance that Haldimand (and Carleton before him) had worked so hard to achieve. The swelling numbers of English encouraged them to make greater demands for recognition with the colonial government. To restore stability to his largest remaining North American colony, King George III sent Carleton back to Quebec to remedy the situation.
In ten years, Quebec had undergone a dramatic change. What worked for Carleton in 1774 was not likely to succeed in 1784. Specifically, there was no possibility of restoring the previous political balance — there were simply too many English people unwilling to reach a compromise with the 145,000 Canadiens or its colonial governor. The situation called for a more creative approach to problem solving.
allowed most Loyalists to live under British laws and institutions, while the French-speaking population of Lower Canada
could maintain their familiar French civil law and the Catholic religion.
The fact was that the two peoples simply could not co-exist. Therefore, Governor Haldimand (at the suggestion of Carleton) drew Loyalists away from Quebec City
and Montreal
by offering free land on the northern shore of Lake Ontario to anyone willing to swear allegiance to George III. The Loyalists were thus given land grants of 200 acres (81 ha) per person. Basically, this approach was designed with the intent of keeping French and English as far apart as possible. Therefore, after the separation of the Province of Quebec, Lower Canada
and Upper Canada
were formed, each with its own government.
. Not long after establishing St. John these Loyalists asked for their own colony. In 1784, Great Britain divided Nova Scotia into two — New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Colonel Thomas Carleton
, younger brother of Guy Carleton, was named New Brunswick's first lieutenant-governor — a position he held for the next 30 years.
23Loyalist_Pioneer&date=2009-10-26+01:22:36 Biography of Loyalist Philip Crouse, ca.1760-1856]
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, those loyal to King George III of Great Britain came to be known as Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
. After Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
was defeated by the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
at Yorktown
Yorktown
Yorktown may refer to:*Yorktown, Virginia**Siege of Yorktown, a decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War** Siege of Yorktown , a battle that was part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War**Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, U.S...
, Loyalists were regarded by the new Americans as traitors to the cause of Independence. The Loyalists had rejected the republican ideals of the American Revolution and were offered free land in British North America
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
. Many were prominent Americans, whose ancestors had originally settled in the early 17th century, while a portion were recent settlers in the Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
with few economic or social ties. Many had their property confiscated by the rebels
These Loyalists were expelled from the new nation of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and resettled in what was initially the Province of Quebec
Province of Quebec (1763-1791)
The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France...
(including modern-day Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
), and in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
(including modern-day New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
). Their arrival marked the beginning of a predominantly English-speaking
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
population in the future Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
west and east of the Quebec border. Many Loyalists from the American South brought their slaves with them as slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
was also legal in Canada
Slavery in Canada
Slavery in what now comprises Canada existed into the 1830s, when slavery was officially abolished. Some slaves were of African descent, while others were aboriginal . Slavery which was practiced within Canada's current geography, was practiced primarily by Aboriginal groups...
. An imperial law in 1790 assured prospective immigrants to Canada that their slaves would remain their property. However most black Loyalists were free, having been given their freedom from slavery by fighting for the British or joining British lines during the Revolution. The government helped them resettle in Canada as well, transporting nearly 3500 free blacks to New Brunswick.
Origins
The reasons that the Loyalists remained pro-British were either loyalty to the King and unwillingness to rebel against the Crown, or the belief in peaceful and evolutionary independence. As Daniel BlissDaniel Bliss
Daniel Bliss was the founder of the American University of Beirut.-Life and Work:...
of Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
(who later became a Chief Justice of New Brunswick) stated: "Better to live under one tyrant a thousand miles away, than a thousand tyrants one mile away."
Resistance of the Loyalists
Loyalists eventually exacted revenge through the actions of paramilitary units like "Butler's Rangers." John ButlerJohn Butler (pioneer)
John Butler was a Loyalist who led an irregular militia unit known as Butler's Rangers on the northern frontier in the American Revolutionary War. He led Seneca and Cayuga forces in the Saratoga campaign. He later raised and commanded a regiment of rangers.-Background:John was born to Walter...
was a wealthy landowner before the revolution. He did not share the republicanism of his more independence-minded countrymen. Therefore, during the revolution he formed a guerrilla force to disrupt the Continental (American) Army's supply lines, demoralize settlers, and attack Republican paramilitary groups not unlike his own.
Persecution of the Loyalists
The Loyalists during the American revolution had to face two kinds of persecution. One was done constitutionally, the other by lawless mobs. RepublicansRepublicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
refused to tolerate the Loyalists. There was too much at stake during the revolution to do otherwise. If the revolution failed, the Republicans were sure to be persecuted by the Loyalists. Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
also had a stronger economy and industrial base. It had a larger population to draw from and a more experienced army. Most important of all, they possessed the world's strongest navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
capable of striking the coast of any one of the Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
unopposed at any time. However, the Thirteen Colonies had the homeland advantage. Therefore, to make proper use of this small advantage, Loyalists could not be tolerated. (The Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
faced a similar issue with the Fifth Column
Fifth Column
Fifth Column was a Canadian all-women experimental post-punk band from Toronto, which came about during the early 1980s. They took the name Fifth Column after a military manoeuvre by Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War, in which nationalist insurrectionists within besieged Republican...
during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.)
It was at the hands of the mob that the Loyalists first suffered persecution. Probably the worst of the revolutionary mobs was that which paraded the streets of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. In 1765, at the time of the Stamp Act
Stamp Act
A stamp act is any legislation that requires a tax to be paid on the transfer of certain documents. Those that pay the tax receive an official stamp on their documents, making them legal documents. The taxes raised under a stamp act are called stamp duty. This system of taxation was first devised...
agitation, large crowds in Boston attacked and destroyed the magnificent houses of Andrew Oliver
Andrew Oliver
Andrew Oliver was a merchant and public official in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Born in Boston, he was the son of Daniel Oliver, a merchant, and Elizabeth Belcher Oliver, daughter of Governor Jonathan Belcher. Andrew had two brothers: Daniel Oliver and Peter Oliver...
and Thomas Hutchinson
Thomas Hutchinson
Thomas Hutchinson was a businessman, historian, and a prominent Loyalist politician of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in the years before the American Revolution. A successful businessman, Hutchinson was active at high levels of the Massachusetts government for many years, serving as...
. They broke down the doors with broadaxes, destroyed the furniture, stole the money and jewels, scattered the books and papers, and, having drunk the wines in the cellar, proceeded to the dismantling of the roof and walls. The owners of the houses barely escaped with their lives. In 1768, the same mob deliberately attacked the British troops in Boston, and so precipitated what American historians used to term 'the Boston Massacre'. In 1773, white Bostonians dressed up as Indians, the famous 'Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government and the monopolistic East India Company that controlled all the tea imported into the colonies...
' threw the tea into Boston harbor.
The excesses of the mob were nearly as great in other places throughout the colonies. In New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
they were active in destroying printing-presses from which had issued Tory pamphlets, in breaking windows of private houses, in stealing livestock and personal effects, and in destroying property. A favorite pastime was tarring and feathering
Tarring and feathering
Tarring and feathering is a physical punishment, used to enforce unofficial justice or revenge. It was used in feudal Europe and its colonies in the early modern period, as well as the early American frontier, mostly as a type of mob vengeance .-Description:In a typical tar-and-feathers attack, the...
'obnoxious Tories.' This consisted in stripping the victim naked, smearing him with a coat of hot tar to his skin and then mash feathers, and parading him about the streets in a cart for the contemplation of his neighbors. The tar would remain embedded in the victim's skin essentially for the remainder of their life. Another amusement was making Tories ride the rail
Riding the rail
Riding the rail was a punishment in Colonial America in which a man was made to straddle a fence rail held on the shoulders of at least two men, with other men on either side to keep him upright...
. This consisted in putting the 'unhappy victims upon sharp rails with one leg on each side; each rail was carried upon the shoulders of two tall men, with a man on each side to keep the poor wretch straight and fixed in his seat. In addition to being turned into human chickens, United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
could also expect to receive beatings or to be lynch
Lynch
Lynch may refer to:*Lynching, also known as Lynch law; named after Charles Lynch ; a form of extralegal judgment and punishment, usually by killing*Terrace , a terrace, also called a "lynch"...
ed upon "Liberty Tree
Liberty Tree
The Liberty Tree was a famous elm tree that stood in Boston near Boston Common, in the days before the American Revolution. Ten years before the American Revolution, colonists in Boston staged the first act of defiance against the British government at the tree...
s." With mobs running about the countryside looking for Loyalists to punish, the rule of law completely broke down.
Numerous Loyalists were forced to abandon substantial amounts of property in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Restoration or compensation for this lost property was a major issue during the negotiation of the Jay Treaty
Jay Treaty
Jay's Treaty, , also known as Jay's Treaty, The British Treaty, and the Treaty of London of 1794, was a treaty between the United States and Great Britain that is credited with averting war,, resolving issues remaining since the Treaty of Paris of 1783, which ended the American Revolution,, and...
in 1795. Negotiations resulted on the concept of the United States negotiators 'advising' the US Congress to provide restitution
Restitution
The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery. It is to be contrasted with the law of compensation, which is the law of loss-based recovery. Obligations to make restitution and obligations to pay compensation are each a type of legal response to events in the real world. When a court...
. For the English, this concept carried significant legal weight, far more than it did with the Americans; the U. S. Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
declined to accept the advice. More than two centuries later, some of the descendants of Loyalists still assert claims to their ancestors' property in the United States.
After Yorktown
Yorktown
Yorktown may refer to:*Yorktown, Virginia**Siege of Yorktown, a decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War** Siege of Yorktown , a battle that was part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War**Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, U.S...
the British were left in control of only one significant stronghold, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In New York, Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton may refer to:*Guy Carleton , , Anglican bishop*Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, , Irish soldier and early Governor of Canada*Guy Carleton Wiggins, American landscape painter...
, commander of British Forces, was confronted with two problems: firstly, the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
was fast approaching; and secondly, he had to find some way to evacuate thousands of British troops and Loyalists before the Americans arrived. To buy time the British fought a series of rear-guard actions to slow the Republican advance while the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
hurriedly evacuated New York
Evacuation Day (New York)
Following the American Revolution, Evacuation Day on November 25 marks the day in 1783 when the last vestige of British authority in the United States — its troops in New York — departed from Manhattan...
.
Resettlement
Many Loyalist refugees made the difficult overland trek into Canada after losing their place, property, and security during the Revolution. The Loyalists, many of whom helped found America from the early 17th century, left a well-armed population hostile to the King and his loyalist subjects to build the new nation of CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The motto of New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, created out of Nova Scotia for loyalist settlement, is "Hope Restored".
Loyalist refugees, later called United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
, began leaving at the end of the war whenever transport was available, at considerable loss of property and transfer of wealth. An estimated 70,000 left the thirteen newly independent states, representing about 3% of the total American population, of which 20-30% had supported the Crown during the American War for Independence. Approximately 51,000 were White (who also had 17,000 black slaves) and 8,000 Black; 37,000 were removed to Canada, 7,000 to Britain, and 17,000 to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Following the end of the Revolution and the signing of the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
in 1783, Loyalist soldiers and civilians were evacuated from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and resettled in other colonies of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, most notably in the future Canada. The two colonies of Nova Scotia (including modern-day New Brunswick), received about 34,000 Loyalist refugees; Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
2,000; and Quebec (including the Eastern Townships and modern-day Ontario) received some 10,000 refugees. Some unknown number, but in places a large percentage, of refugees were unable to establish themselves in British North America and eventually returned to the United States. Many in Canada continued to maintain close ties with relatives in the United States, and as well conducted commerce across the border without much regard to British trade laws.
Some of the richest and most prominent Loyalists went to Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
to rebuild their lives, and many received pensions. Southern Loyalists, many taking along their slaves, went to the West Indies and the Bahamas, particularly to the Abaco Islands
Abaco Islands
The Abaco Islands lie in the northern Bahamas and comprise the main islands of Great Abaco and Little Abaco, together with the smaller Wood Cay, Elbow Cay, Lubbers Quarters Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Great Guana Cay, Castaway Cay, Man-o-War Cay, Stranger's Cay, Umbrella Cay, Walker's Cay, Little Grand...
.
Thousands of Iroquois and other pro-British Native Americans
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
were expelled from New York and other states and resettled in Canada. The descendants of one such group of Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
, led by Joseph Brant Thayendenegea
Joseph Brant
Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant was a Mohawk military and political leader, based in present-day New York, who was closely associated with Great Britain during and after the American Revolution. He was perhaps the most well-known American Indian of his generation...
, settled at Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
Reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
in Canada. Another smaller group of Iroquois settled on the shores of the Bay of Quinte
Bay of Quinte
The Bay of Quinte is a long, narrow bay shaped like the letter "Z" on the northern shore of Lake Ontario in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is just west of the head of the Saint Lawrence River that drains the Great Lakes into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in modern day Southeastern Ontario.
The government settled numerous Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia, but they faced discrimination and inadequate support. The government was slow to survey their land (which meant they could not settle) and awarded them smaller grants in less convenient locations than those of white settlers. Further, they suffered discrimination by some of the whites. When Great Britain set up the colony of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, many Black Loyalists emigrated there for what they perceived as the chance of self-government and established Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
.
Resistance to the old Canadien System
In 1778, Frederick HaldimandFrederick Haldimand
Sir Frederick Haldimand, KB was a military officer best known for his service in the British Army in North America during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War...
took over for Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton may refer to:*Guy Carleton , , Anglican bishop*Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, , Irish soldier and early Governor of Canada*Guy Carleton Wiggins, American landscape painter...
as governor of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Haldimand, like the previous governors of the Province of Quebec, appreciated the hard-working Canadiens and acted in his power to keep the English merchants in line.
The arrival of 10,000 Loyalists to Quebec in 1784 destroyed the political balance that Haldimand (and Carleton before him) had worked so hard to achieve. The swelling numbers of English encouraged them to make greater demands for recognition with the colonial government. To restore stability to his largest remaining North American colony, King George III sent Carleton back to Quebec to remedy the situation.
In ten years, Quebec had undergone a dramatic change. What worked for Carleton in 1774 was not likely to succeed in 1784. Specifically, there was no possibility of restoring the previous political balance — there were simply too many English people unwilling to reach a compromise with the 145,000 Canadiens or its colonial governor. The situation called for a more creative approach to problem solving.
Separation of the Province of Quebec
Loyalists soon petitioned the government to be allowed to use the British legal system they were used to in the American colonies. The creation of Upper CanadaUpper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
allowed most Loyalists to live under British laws and institutions, while the French-speaking population of Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
could maintain their familiar French civil law and the Catholic religion.
The fact was that the two peoples simply could not co-exist. Therefore, Governor Haldimand (at the suggestion of Carleton) drew Loyalists away from Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
by offering free land on the northern shore of Lake Ontario to anyone willing to swear allegiance to George III. The Loyalists were thus given land grants of 200 acres (81 ha) per person. Basically, this approach was designed with the intent of keeping French and English as far apart as possible. Therefore, after the separation of the Province of Quebec, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
and Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
were formed, each with its own government.
Separation of Nova Scotia
Fourteen-thousand Loyalists established a new settlement along the Saint John RiverSaint John River
The Saint John River is a river, approximately long, located principally in the Canadian province of New Brunswick but also in, and arising from the province of Quebec and the U.S. state of Maine. It forms part of the Canada – United States border in two different places along its length...
. Not long after establishing St. John these Loyalists asked for their own colony. In 1784, Great Britain divided Nova Scotia into two — New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Colonel Thomas Carleton
Thomas Carleton
Thomas Carleton was a British army officer who was promoted to Colonel during the American Revolutionary War after relieving the siege of Quebec in 1776. After the war, he was appointed as Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, and supervised the resettlement of Loyalists from the United States in...
, younger brother of Guy Carleton, was named New Brunswick's first lieutenant-governor — a position he held for the next 30 years.
Further reading
- Ronald Rees, Land of the Loyalists: Their struggle to shape the Maritimes, Nimbus, 146 p., 2000, ISBN 1-55109-274-3.
- Lawrence Hill; The Book of Negroes; Harper CollinsHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
Publishers Ltd. 2007. - Christopher Moore; The Loyalists: Revolution, Exile, Settlement; 1984, ISBN 0-7710-6093-9.
- W. Stewart Wallace; The United Empire Loyalists: A Chronicle of the Great Migration; Volume 13 of the "Chronicles of Canada (32 volumes); 1914, Toronto.
- Mark Jodoin; Shadow Soldiers of the American Revolution; 2009, ISBN 978-1-59629-726-5. The History PressThe History PressThe History Press is one of the UK’s largest local and specialist history publishers, publishing approximately 500 books per year.Created in December 2007, The History Press has integrated core elements of the NPI Media Group within it, including all existing published titles, plus all the future...
, Charleston SC.
External links
- The United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada - fraternal association for descendants of Loyalists
- Example of Loyalist claim from New York state
23Loyalist_Pioneer&date=2009-10-26+01:22:36 Biography of Loyalist Philip Crouse, ca.1760-1856]
- "The Myth of the Loyalist Iroquois", argues that it is misleading to describe Joseph Brant and other Iroquois leaders as "Loyalists"
- Ontario Plaques - The Loyalists In Upper Canada
- Photographs of the United Empire Loyalist monument at Country Harbour, Nova Scotia
- "A Short History of the United Empire Loyalists", by Ann Mackenzie, M.A.
- Une Courte Histoire des Loyalistes de l'Empire Uni, French translation of "A Short History of the United Empire Loyalists" by Ann Mackenzie, M.A.
- http://anglicanhistory.org/canada/uel/Three Anglican Sermons, 1780-1789; two by SPGSPG-Activities:*Submersible pressure gauge used in scuba diving*Shortest proof game, a type of chess problem*Steals per game, a statistic in basketball-Language:...
missioners in Canada], Project Canterbury, Anglican History - Haldimand Collection A major source of information regarding the installation of more than 50 thousand American Loyalists in Canada : Cataraqui, Quebec, Sorel, Nova-Scotia, New-Brunswick
- "Letter, Benjamin Franklin to Baron Francis Maseres, June 26, 1785", (Opinion of Benjamin FranklinBenjamin FranklinDr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
on persons who called themselves "Loyalists", whom he judged better called "Royalists"), Franklin Papers, Yale University