The struggle for independence was as much a brutal civil war fought between Americans (“Patriots” versus “Loyalists”) as it was a conventional conflict between American and British armies. Americans killed Americans in large numbers. The act of choosing sides divided families and friends, towns and cities.
What divided the colonists?
The American Revolution divided the colonists as much as it united them, with Loyalists (or Tories) joining the British forces against the Patriots (or revolutionaries). ... After the war, many Loyalists fled the American colonies, heading across the Atlantic to England, north to Canada, or south to the West Indies.
Why did the colonists separate?
That said, the American colonists who decided to separate from Great Britain did so because they wanted to have more control over their own government and economy . Before the French and Indian War, the colonists had more or less been left alone to govern themselves.
Why were the colonists divided over the fight for independence?
Why were the colonists divided over the fight for independence? Some colonists needed the reassurance of a strong authority. ... The colonies needed England to protect them. The cost in human lives would be too great.
What were the main reasons for the colonies wanting to separate from Britain?
They were being taxed without being represented, and they wanted to have more control in government , so the desire to separate from Britain began to flow through the colonies. There are several reasons why the colonists separated from Great Britain.
What are 3 reasons colonists came to America?
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REASONS: A BETTER LIFE Most colonists had faced difficult lives in Britain, Ireland, Scotland, or Germany. They came to the Americas to escape poverty, warfare, political turmoil, famine and disease . They believed colonial life offered new opportunities.
How many years did the American Revolution last?
How long was the Revolutionary War? The American Revolutionary war lasted just over seven years , with the end of conflict coming after British forces were removed from Charleston and Savannah in late 1782.
Why did the 13 colonies want independence?
The Colonists wanted independence from Great Britain because the king created unreasonable taxes, those taxes were created because Britain just fought the French and Indians. England decided that since they fought on American soil, then it was only fair to make Colonists pay for it.
Which act angered the colonists the most?
The British further angered American colonists with the Quartering Act, which required the colonies to provide barracks and supplies to British troops.
Who was a famous loyalist?
Other famous loyalists include Thomas Hutchinson (governor of Massachusetts colony), Andrew Allen, John Butler (leader of the loyalists troops Butler's Rangers), and David Mathews (mayor of New York City). What happened to loyalists during the war? Life for the loyalists became increasingly difficult during the war.
What are the 10 causes of the American Revolution?
- #2 Increased sense of independence among the colonists.
- #6 Boston Massacre.
- #8 The Intolerable Acts.
- #9 Rejection of the Olive Branch Petition.
- #10 Sons of Liberty.
Why were colonists angry after the Tea Act?
American colonists were outraged over the tea tax. They believed the Tea Act was a tactic to gain colonial support for the tax already enforced . The direct sale of tea by agents of the British East India Company to the American colonies undercut the business of colonial merchants.
Why did the proclamation of 1763 upset the colonists?
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was very unpopular with the colonists. ... This angered the colonists. They felt the Proclamation was a plot to keep them under the strict control of England and that the British only wanted them east of the mountains so they could keep an eye on them.
What was the main religion in the 13 colonies?
The New England colonists were largely Puritans , who led very strict lives. The Middle colonists were a mixture of religions, including Quakers (led by William Penn), Catholics, Lutherans, Jews, and others. The Southern colonists had a mixture of religions as well, including Baptists and Anglicans.
What are the reasons the colonists came to America?
Colonists came to America because they wanted political liberty . They wanted religious freedom and economic opportunity. The United States is a country where individual rights and self-government are important.
What were the main causes and effects of the American Revolution?
Cause: British leaders feared that more fighting would take place on the frontier if colonists kept moving onto American Indian lands. Effect: This law banned British settlement west of the Appalachian Mountians . This Act required colonists to house British soldiers. ...
