Video: Tories: Fighting for the King in America's First Civil War
A lecture from historian Thomas B. Allen on the American colonists who remained loyal to the British monarchy.
The popular narrative of the American Revolution focuses on the struggle between American colonists and British forces. The real war, however, not only saw soldiers from many nations, but also major divisions within the colonies themselves. When war broke out between the British Empire and its American colonies, not everyone sided with the Continental Congress. Many families in North America identified as English and were still very loyal to the British monarchy. Rebellion against King George III, from their perspective, was a misguided act of treachery, not a noble stand for freedom.
These individuals were known as Loyalists, Royalists, or Tories, as opposed to the revolutionary Patriots. And, in the middle of them all, sat just as many people undecided either way. What was it like to be a Loyalist before, during, and after the Revolutionary War? While some Loyalists benefitted from their support, others suffered the loss of their property, family, and even lives as a result. After the war, thousands fled the new country for Britain, Canada, and other British territories.
In this lecture from the Library of Congress, historian Thomas B. Allen explores the hidden history of Tories in the Revolutionary War. According to Allen, the Revolutionary War could just as easily be described as the United States’ first civil war instead.
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