The Loyalists

Facts about the Loyalists Not everyone in the Thirteen Colonies supported the revolution About one third of the people believed in the revolutionary cause One third was neutral And one third remained actively loyal to the King in England Loyalists came from all social classes

Mistreatment at Home In the years leading up to the revolution the Loyalists were looked on with little favor by their neighbors In all areas the Loyalists lived in an unfriendly environment When the revolution broke out people who still supported Britain faced violent persecution

Neighbor vs. Neighbor Even suspected Loyalists were faced with injustice Some of the atrocities perpetrated in the name of the revolution included: Looting of the homes of suspected Loyalists Vigilante committees Lynch mobs Mutilation Murder

After the American Revolution

Exodus The American Revolution ended in 1783. The injustices intensified to the point where Loyalist felt they should leave the country They settled in many places: England Bermuda Nova Scotia The group of immigrants also included Acadians, Blacks, Mennonites

Loyalists in Nova Scotia Nova Scotia was one of the major destinations for the fleeing Loyalists Approximately 30,000 Loyalists settled in Nova Scotia after the Revolutionary War The previous population of 17,000 was more than doubled The British government undertook the task of settling these people in return for the loyalty they had shown the British crown

Loyalists in Nova Scotia (con’t) The Loyalists were granted land, tools, and provisions in order to start their new life in British North America Some were unable to cope with frontier life and returned to the United States or moved to England Some difficulties also arose as the Loyalists were not happy that Nova Scotians did not aide Britain in the revolution

Loyalists in Quebec In addition to Anglo-Saxon Loyalists there were also disbanded mercenary companies As the immigrants were granted land in the colony of Quebec several “land Loyalists” arrived to take advantage The Loyalists in Quebec were mostly frontier farmers in the Thirteen Colonies and as such adapted to life relatively easily

Loyalists in Quebec Loyalists in Quebec did not want to live under the seigneurial system and settled away from the French colonists Most of the Loyalists moved west and laid the foundation for a future colony Land grants and assistance were comparable to Nova Scotia’s Loyalists

Loyalists in P.E.I. Some 600 Loyalists settled in Prince Edward Island They were not given title to the land as it was controlled by absentee landlords

Effects of the Loyalist Migration The migration greatly increased the size of the British-Canadian colonies More English Protestants lived in Quebec The Economy of Canada was diversified although the Fur Trade remained an integral part The creation of the colony of New Brunswick resulted from the high number of settlers there

Impact on the First Nations Many First Nations groups were forced to leave their traditional lands and migrate to British North America. The British desired to avoid conflict with the First Nations over the granting of lands to the arriving Loyalists. A number of First Nations peoples were displaced by the influx and settlement of the Loyalists. The newly-arriving Loyalists did not settle in areas already occupied by the French-speaking population. They preferred to settle in sparsely populated areas and create their own islands of settlement.

Effects of the Loyalist Migration It rendered the Quebec Act obsolete as there was now a high number of English Protestants in Quebec Loyalists brought a belief in British rights, traditions, and heritage

Discussion Questions What solution could be suggested to solve the problems of Loyalist in Quebec? What are some of the conflicts that arose when the Loyalists arrived? Are the Attitudes of the Loyalists still alive today?