In the 18th century, European empires used their Native American allies as a point of comparison with their rival colonizing nations. The more Native allies you had, the stronger you were. (Guy)

In the early 17th century, sugar was in such great demand in Europe that plantation owners were able to buy thousands of slaves annually to replace those killed by the horrific working conditions, while still turning enough profit to make the West Indian colonies the richest colonies in the empire. (Guy)

British Americans imposed harsher conditions on slaves compared to the Spanish or French and discouraged freeing any of them. There was much fear of slave revolts, leading to inhumane and humiliating treatment of slaves in an effort to keep them oppressed and subdued. (Guy)

Due to the positive effects on Great Britain's economy from the cultivation of goods in the American colonies parliament introduced, “Navigation Acts”. This forbid any economic rivals such as the French, Dutch, and Spanish to trade with ports controlled by the English. Parliament enforced restrictions on certain goods such as sugar and tobacco which were in large demand and restricted them to only be sent to Britain. Parliament also enforced a tax on any European goods that were going to British America through their ports. The controlling of certain goods, allowing only English ships to trade with the colonies, and the taxation of incoming goods made Great Britain very powerful economically and within the world of trade. (Lauren)

The colonies' economies flourished at a faster rate than Britain's due the amount of goods the colonies could produce at low prices. Colonists were able to create a surplus for themselves allowing them to care for their domestic needs while also allowing them to purchase manufactured goods coming into their ports from places such as Asia or the West Indies. (Lauren)

During the period of the Great Awakening in the mid eighteenth century the colonies strict social hierarchy based on wealth and education began to soften. This occurred due to revivals or “New Lights” encouraging colonists with less education and wealth to become preachers within their communities. Traditionally, colonial churches would be very dependent on social status, as placement within the church was dependent on the status of an individual. The higher status you had the closer you would be placed to the minister. The thoughts and actions of evangelicals were seen as radical due to how expressive their forms of worship were, their decentralization from one church, and how much they focused on individualism and free choice. The ideas of the “New Lights” directly contradicted what the “Old Lights” thought of as social and political harmony, which was the connection of people under one common religion and church and their implementation of a social hierarchy. (Lauren)

As we see in popular film and books, the views of the American Revolution were seen to be told about heroic Americans in an uprising against the villainous British Empire that attempted to subjugate them from an ocean across. It's key to remember that not all who were living in the American colonies were all in favor of the revolution as there were those who wanted to remain loyal to the crown. It is also important to remember that there were also those in the population who would rather not be involved in the conflict in any way as well as those whose loyalties were not as clear as they weren't too sure as to who they would support in this revolution. (David Y.)

Just as they had found importance in the 17th century with the Tobacco harvest, which was originally dominated by Spain, the British American colonies became a very economic tie of the British Empire. Goods that were being grown and cared for on the farms and plantations were making their way over to the British home islands via the port cities like Boston, New York and Philadelphia. These cities focused on exports since they lack the necessary components for major industries, save for shipbuilding. (David Y.)

After the incident in the Ohio River Valley and the beginning of the Seven Years War (or the French and Indian War as it was also known), the British were successful in due to their own vast finances and their ability to disrupt the French commerce. In the peace settlement, most of the territories owned by the French, like their holdings in Canada, were claimed by the Crown. Of course, victory was not cheep, as the war put a heavy debt on their heads, increasing from 74 million pounds to over 133 million, a debt that was going to be forced on the British colonies, especially those in North America. (David Y.)

Taylor mentions very different but connected angles when discussing the lead up and period of context before the American Revolution. He discusses the influence of surrounding empires in North America like France and Spain as well as the interactions with Native Americans. On a less geopolitical scale he discussed regional differences in the British colonies and how they were interacting with one another. - Ewan H

This line from the end of the reading stuck with me a lot, where Taylor mentioned that British hubris was on a collision course with inflated American expectations. After proving themselves in a global conflict, the colonies thought that they would have increased involvement or presence in parliament, but Britain had almost the opposite in mind. Britain fought this costly war to protect their colonies, and wouldn't idly stand by as they had done for the prior years and let the colonies do whatever they want. - Ewan H

One theme that's mentioned a lot in this passage is how reliant and dependent that the colonists were on slave labor. The Southern Colonies especially with their plantations were the big players in the trans atlantic slave trade in the 18th century, and this definitely was unique to the British colonies. The Spanish and French colonies had different relationships with slavery, ones that were much less reliant on their labor, and especially not as racially divided. - Ewan H

It was interesting how Taylor started the book with “My Kinsman, Major Molineux” by Nathaniel Hawthrone to introduce the American Revolution and to set the scene for the book. Taylor uses the story to define revolution, but he also uses the characters to depict life in the revolution era. For example, Major Molineux represents Great Britain; he was a rich man who appeared to be in position of authority, whereas Robin represents the growing American spirit after discovering Molineux was not a “hero” in the town where they were. (Hannah E.)

The rapid ability of Americans to produce the necessary materials to support life and the lack of aid in this process given by the British fostered independence and helped to speed up the process of revolution. (Declan F.)

Over the course of history, we have come to view the buildup to the war as a time where Americans all became united against the British. Instead, many Americans preferred the guarantee of the British Empire over the rough upheaval of rebellion. The founders of America faced nearly as much animosity and threat from within as they did overseas. (Declan F.)

Prior to any notions of rebellion in the colonies, British colonists in America took pride in their “Liberty” and superior individuality in regard to other Spanish and French colonists. This liberty extended to property and by extension, slaves. A huge part of the British identity especially in the southern colonies became centered around slavery and the right to have slaves. (Declan F.)

Something that stuck out to me was in the very beginning of the introduction where some of the mischaracterization of the Revolution is discussed. While historians tend to portray the Revolution as restrained and unanimous, it was actually still very destructive and most of the colonists were only very reluctant nationalists. In order to get the mass support from those reluctant colonists that the movement needed to succeed, the leaders of the patriots had to make concessions that would appeal to the common man, especially ones that delegated more power to that group. Even after the war had been won, the process of forming a unified country was difficult, especially when the common people distrusted distant, central governments and were still reeling from the effects of the war. (Ezra C.)

I found it intriguing that colonial governors were pretty much doomed. Assemblymen held power in Colonial America, which I assumed prior to reading this book that the governor had a good amount of power; however, it appears that the governor was not protected in politics. If the governor didn't follow the directions of the assemblymen, he would be without pay so the governor had to strictly do everything the assemblymen said in order to survive (basically).(Hannah E.)

Taylor talks on Natives and the way they were used by the British but also how were competition with other empires. The British used them as warriors and scouts to attack other empires land. But more interestingly, the Natives were also in competition. Chiefs who were favored gave out gifts to warriors to gain influence. Their influence helped them get more gifts from imperial patrons. (Hannah E.)

It was interesting to read about historians' approach at shifting the stage of colonial America and the narrative that colonial America was limited to the Atlantic coast and heavily reliant on British influences for its government, society, and values. By broadening the geography and the differing colonial nations that inhabited continental America, it allows for discussion on the multitude of cultures and traditions that made colonial America into the melting pot that it's known for today. (Scarlett).

Taylor also acknowledges the differing viewpoints of women and how their roles were tied to their family and community; women were expected to focus primarily on their husbands and children while committing to the domestic labor expected of them. Communal newspapers spoke out against women who attempted to become more involved in public life and sought out greater legal rights. Taylor also pointed out the story of Grace Growden, a women who scorned married life and the severance of her freedom, but still committed to the societal expectation of marriage. Colonial women's relationships were not only dependent on their husbands, but the children that could be produced as well, with families varying from seven to ten members. These contrast of societal expectations versus the real-world feelings of colonial women display the hardships women faced during the era as they grappled with their own personal feelings and the beliefs perpetrated by the society they lived in. (Scarlett).

The relationship between Native Americans and European powers is often seen under the ploy of consumerism; the ability to cultivate allyships was determined by the quality and quantity of goods and commodities that could be given amongst differing indigenous factions. Imperialist assumed that controlling Native Americans could be achieved under a strong loyalty, however, Native Americans strived for their own interest and often switched sides if they began to see weakness in their allies. Native Americans had differing methods of warfare and often relied on short, sporadic raids that could be quickly finished and celebrated. Native Americans exploited the bickering warfare between European nations in hopes that they could take advantage of either side that won and continue living in the new age they found themselves in. (Scarlett).

With the decision to include parliamentary rule along with monarchy rule in Great Britain, meant further laws and decisions that were allowed or contradicted by Parliament. This merger of monarchy and governmental body, meant that a parliamentary governor was placed in each colony. Due to this, throughout the early 1700s, the colonies became more entwined with Britain, with more British military, goods, and laws that were brought from overseas. This made Colonists believe they were equal to subjects back in England due to these implementations. - Emma Galvin

The colonies were originally set up with proprietors who were supposed to oversee the buying and selling of property. That being said, many of these proprietors slacked on what they were supposed to do and allowed the colonists to run things how they wanted. When governors replaced proprietors, things became a little more strict. But with the relatively few number of British officials in the colonies, their ability to actually enact their policies was hard to do.- Emma Galvin

Even though the colonies and Great Britain were an ocean apart, they still had the same enemy within the French and the Spanish. Not only were the countries waging war overseas, but also had property and stakes within the New World. The British colonies were surrounded by the French in the north and west, and by the Spanish in the south. This ultimately led to the Seven Years War with Britain winning. - Emma Galvin

The colonial government was never as strong as the British government. Governors appointed by the Crown would serve their duties and try to enforce the laws, but weren't strong enough and often weren't supported by local governments as they were considered outsiders. Colonial governors only lasted 5 years on average. - Lily H

Though there was a lot of diversity in race, nationality, etc. within the colonies, there was also diversity within those groups. Often the “colonists” most people tend to think of get grouped together as being one group that came together to defeat the British, but that took a lot of effort. There was such a vast expanse of religion and industry that the cultures in neighboring colonies didn't tend to mesh well together. These “colonists” in our cultural memory usually only had one thing in common: they considered themselves British citizens. This not only erases the presence of African and Indigenous perspectives but also the feat of colonial unification predating the Revolutionary War. - Lily H.

Wealth and class physically manifested themselves, particularly early on in the colonies. Typically landed gentry would import textiles and domestic materials to show that wealth so that they wouldn't have to outright speak on it to define themselves opposite the “poor” (farmers, artisans). There was an easier chance to move in social or economic class then, too. It was a delicate system, represented through consumerism. - Lily H.

The colonists imagined an “empire of freedom” in conjunction with Britain but this was completely dependent on the shared superiority over the enslaved peoples and the Native Americans. This was the last sentence of the reading but it also was contingent on the superiority over women, who surrendered their rights when they married, as well as the assumed religious conformity when living within the colonies. - Keller D.

The American revolution has a reputation of being “less bloody” or less “messy” than other revolutions, but often overlooked is the amount of cruelty, and destruction left in the wake of the revolution. The loyalists were also left as refugees when the dust settled. - Keller D.

Often overlooked as well was the original reliance upon the Native Americans for the survival of the colonies. Trade reliance was the key to a strong colony, and the Native Americans were of course threatened by the colonies, particularly the Britain colonies, and of course ended up being exploited, even though they were the reason many colonies survived. - Keller D.

One thing that I found that was very interesting to me was the fact that in chapter one they talked about the difference in how Native Americans Played a role in the survivability of the life of people. We only learn that the Native Americans stayed around for when Jamestown and Plymouth but after that we only talk about how we drove them out. In here they talked about how they helped for longer than we have learned before. (Jacob H)

Historians say that the American Revolution had less blood shed and was a lot calmer than others like the French Revolution but worse than others. there were massacres on all sides including native Americans, enslaved people, Loyalists, and patriots. They also find that most of the worst fighting was in the South when you had 2 different people fighting in more bloody ways. (Jacob H)

In the early 1680s, England’s King embraced Catholicism and sought to concentrate power at the expense of the parliament and the colonies, causing Britain to go into prolonged warfare with the French Empire. Spain’s frontier colonies suffered from raiding by enemies who obtained guns from traders. (Annie Feck)

At the start of the 17th century, everyone began making trading companies. English developed fishing camps along the shores of Newfoundland and the further north and west merchants formed the Hudson Bay Company. There were no true settlers as it was primarily made up of employees. Due to that, the colonies in the Atlantic Seaboard were prospering, in the rapid growth of the British mainland colonies worried their neighbors who feared for the expansion. During this time, British America imported 1,500,000 enslaved individuals using them to continue to create a prosperous region. (Annie Feck)

During the 18th century, British America became closer with the economy of Great Britain. They began to be more urbanized and industrialized. Due to this, the parliament promoted that economic synergy with the “navigation acts” to close colonial ports to foreign rivals in order to enhance the Crown revenue and maximize the sailors and ships of the Empire. (Annie Feck)

There rough experiences of the war did shape many legacy of the revolution. In the beginning most colonies did have royal governors and tolerated it for a while. In the mid 1600s the British did impose “navigation acts” which blocked foreign trade(unless by the British) on the colonies for some economic purposes.(Connor H.)

In the early 18th century, Taylor wrote how the colonies and Britain become closer and more intertwined. I found this paragraph interesting because that isn't discussed often when talking about the build up to the Revolutionary War. Many of the colonists took pride in their homeland and called themselves Britons. (Hank L)

Many European powers were interested in expanding into the Americas. The Spanish and French were ahead of Britain, with France colonizing Canada and the Spanish colonizing present day Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas in the 16th century and early 17th century. Though Britain did not begin colonization in America till the mid-17th century in North Carolina and Virginia. (Hank L).

Britain changed their economic ideas during the middle of the 17th century. This change ended up bringing the colonists and Britain closer together economically. Britain closed many of the ports to foreign rivals like the Dutch and the French. Doing so created more of a reliance by the colonists on the mother country.(Hank L)

Taylor asserts that the American Revolution actually generated a significant refugee crisis of not just the Americans who were displaced by the British Army but also those loyalists and enslaved persons who had chosen to self-emancipate through the offer of eventual freedom provided by the British Army. This crisis generated more migration than the French Revolution did, but the text asserts that due to the cultural bias that was ingrained into the very idea of the revolution as it was fueled by elites with the opinion that their moralistic views were to be praised as the foundation of the new America, sans those who might feel otherwise. (Chiara)

The constitutional monarchy and the separation of powers that we are so familiar with today originated from the Glorious Revolution, in which the division of power (both political and economic) provided more rights to the people in terms of self-governance than the rest of Europe was previously familiar with. The claim that “Ministers are Kings in this country” is not only a point of pride for the British public but core to their identity both at home and abroad. (Chiara)

In this chapter, Taylor says that The Spanish and French had always addressed the colonies as more permanently involved settlements within their empires as they related to the home country than England did. Spain created detailed city plans with intentional space for growth, an entire caste system to organize the new society in, and a flourishing economy that provided significant strength to their empire. The French utilized their interest in the fur trade—the major economic force of the French colonies in America—to develop lasting connections with the Indigenous peoples in their colonies and around it to strengthen their overall claim. The English, however, were very hands-off in terms of governance, with only minimal interference economically with the Navigation Acts, and provided no intentional plans for long-term settlement other than it would—likely—eventually happen. (Chiara)

In this chapter, I thought it was interesting that Taylor mentioned many references to class and the idea of trust and distrust of other classes and nationalities. For example, Spanish elites distrusted other classes regardless of their background, such as Indian or African descendants. (Suzanne F.). One part of the chapter that I think is interesting is how Taylor highlights the issue of local legislatures, such as Virginia, trying to evade the cost of war and resist the British attempts to raise revenue. The issue of national debt and the financial expense of war seems to influence the success of revolutionary efforts.

Additionally, the British view of the colonies as a revenue source is important in trying to extract payment from colonists who saw the efforts to extract money from them as part of their freedom. (Suzanne F). What I think is really interesting is the development of colonial politics, although there were no formal parties. It seems that the early formations of those who consider themselves patriots and those who opposed individuals and power. It is also interesting how the development of politics influences the social order. (Suzanne F).

In this chapter, Taylor outlines how the colonial governments were made of three parts: of the King, of the aristocrats, and of the common people. I found it interesting how adamantly the British Americans insisted that they were the freest people in the world under this system, which they seemed to regard as perfectly balanced, reaping the benefits of each system of rule. (Colin R.)

Taylor explains how despite many political upheavals consistently taking place in the colonies (such as regulators rioting), a revolution of independence was not something that had crossed the minds of the colonists until the war drew much closer, and even then it was not popular. In fact, many colonists viewed the King as the protectors of their rights, not a tyrant who suppressed them. When colonists had qualms, they would often be with the more local government rather than their King an ocean away. (Colin R.)

During the Seven Years' War, the British pursued a policy under Secretary of State William Pitt, which Taylor describes as politically expedient, but financially reckless. Raising an army of 167,000 men and costing 18 million pounds per year, the British won but at a cost of nearly doubling their national debt to 133 million pounds. The colonists came out of the war feeling entitled to boast about their shared victory with the Empire, celebrating enthusiastically in their towns at the news of the victory. The British, however, did not view the colonists in such a positive light, criticizing the colonists for trading with the enemy in the West Indies and for being undisciplined, entitled, and privileged troops and subjects. While the colonists figured the War would bring them closer to Britain, it deepened the divide between the colonies and the rest of the Empire. (Colin R.)

“The hopes of having land of their own & becoming independent of Landlords is what chiefly induces people into America.” The population grew faster in America than it did in Britain in the 18th century. In England, people wanted land in order to move out of poverty and America offered them economic hope. Similarly, in the main colonies, most freedmen owned farms through what was known as 'freehold title,' which promised independence from a landlord. This was a symbol of economic freedom and independence for freedmen.(Connor H.)

The land colonial system favored governors at the expense of the Native Americans, whose land was often seized under the system. There were many skirmishes between the British and the Natives over land, often resulting in the Natives being displaced. However, Natives held all the land west of the Appalachians. Their population exceeded that of the British military by approximately 15,000 people. I found this significant since it would provide a real advantage to the British to gain the Natives as allies during the American Revolution.(Connor H.)

It was quite interesting to learn of the initial drawbacks with cultivating Florida into a formidable space that could yield crops and sustain its colonial inhabitants, Servants and indentured servants ran away from their employers as hard labor, rough farm land, heat, and bugs made work extremely difficult and at times, deadly. By importing enslaved Africans, the colonial region was able to sustain itself as the enslaved persons were more “suited” to the hard manual labor and heat that was required to cultivate the land. (Scarlett).

Unsuitable land and inhabitants' refusal to stay in a space that did not yield fruits of labor was a common theme throughout the text, especially in consideration of colonial era Carolinas. Settled away from stores, roads and other populist areas, settlers were at the mercy of untamed land, Native Americans and the elements; it created a rough landscape that in turn, created rough settlers, many of whom were described as rambunctious and uncivilized due to the setting. With freehold farm land, so did the hardships of taming it and the acknowledgment that it could not be completed. (Scarlett).

The relationship between settlers and Native Americans was especially strained when it came to land delegation and inhabitation; often settlers held racist values and spoke out against sharing land with Native Americans, going as far to attack first and steal good from traveling groups. Authorities often did nothing to punish these groups and murderers went free to continue their rampage against neighboring tribes and individuals that entered settlements. Actual justice came far and in-between; British officers themselves wished that the Native Americans groups would take revenge against the settler groups. (Scarlett).

I thought it was interesting that the colonial belief that Native Americans were blessed with freedom but cursed with anarchy. This seemed ironic that none of the land disputes among the colonists were settled in civility. They were “solved”with mobs and jailbreaks if they were angry. This sounds a lot like anarchy, while they portray the Natives as being anarchy as well. Keller D.

The British were almost viewed as being on the Native Americans side through these disputes. Especially with the Royal Proclamation which ordered the colonists to stay East of the Appalachian mountains. It was much too expensive to fund a dispute with the native peoples, and Britain wanted no part of another war on the tail end of the Seven Year's war. Keller D.

It was also interesting that the Royal Proclamation meant nothing to the colonists. The corrupt speculators were trying to enforce this but were overrun by squatters and those who caused fights over it. This was a blatant rejection of royal authority. Keller D.

Taylor begins to take on the nuance of religion in politics in the 18th century in this chapter by touching on the effectiveness of the Quebecois colony over that of the older pre-existing and majority Anglican colonies. The erosion of trust in the King as a Protestant figure and champion of the constitutional monarchy by favoring French Catholics in the West is highlighted as a crucial turning point in colonial politics. It was also notable to me that the majority of Floridian Spaniards left the colony under the prospect of being British citizens, likely out of fear of religious persecution from English law. (Chiara)

The imperial policy of class divide was used against the inhabitants of the older colonies to control the growing power that colonial assemblies and, by extension, those sitting in them possessed by land grants going to smallholding farmers influencing “patriot” politics in the early days of the revolution. The implication of rich landowning officials who were frustrated by the British government imposing on them the way they imposed it on others is what Taylor says to be the primary driving force behind the majority of the push toward independence. (Chiara)

This chapter heavily highlights the political interactions between the French, English, and Indigenous peoples that were inhabiting the West and how certain policies either helped or hurt the overall strength of the British empire. Taylor asserts that racism against natives was commonplace nad ran rampant through the majority of colonies, leading to numerous raids, Pennsylvania legalizing the hunting of natives for scalping, and finally culminating in things like Dunmore's war in Kentucky. (Chiara)

Native relations with Europeans weren't always so cut and dry. Of course, colonization displaced and destroyed indigenous populations, but some colonists were favored over others. The British were so terrible to the natives that the natives went so far as to forgo historic conflicts between each other to focus on attacking the English in hopes of the French being able to return. Later on, they believed that they could adopt Europeans into their livelihoods becuase they didn't view race or cultural as inherent. -Lily H.

In the eighteenth century, the population began growing faster in British America, with the number of colonists doubling every twenty-five years. In 1763, a Royal Proclamation ordered settlers to stay east of the Appalachians, thus preventing colonial governors from granting western lands to speculators. This Royal Proclamation led to settlers migrating into East Florida, West Florida, and the Ceded Islands in the West Indies. (Annie Feck)

Chapter 2 describes American expansion and the various social, economic, and political conflicts. It seems that some expansion took place at the expense of the Native Americans in that the political elites tried to control expansion but were unable to because of the increasing population of the US through immigration. Interestingly, during the eighteenth century, the population grew faster in the US because fertile soil and navigable rivers encouraged settlers to make new farms. Attempts to design a system of land settlement or land grants were not always successful. (Suzanne F). As America expanded by settlements westward, British leaders feared losing control of their empire. Colonial leaders decided they could do better without British control and how the US patriots were struggling against the British taxes. The British's attempts to control the colonies seemed to irritate colonial leaders, especially when they wanted to impose more taxes and try to control settlements. (Suzanne F).

Interestingly, Benjamin Franklin worked to reconcile colonial and British elites by uniting them in one big land-speculating company that would grant land along the Ohio River. This aspect makes me wonder if the American patriots or Founding Fathers benefited from large land grants or purchases in order to obtain the large portions of lands that they owned in the Colonies. Many of the Founding Fathers were owners of large estates especially those located in Virginia. (Suzanne F.).

The settlement of Florida was very interesting in that it developed quicker than other parts of the country because of the type of experienced settlers that came to the area. According to Taylor, by 1775, West Florida had 5,000 colonists (a quarter were enslaved) compared to 3,000 (half enslaved) in East Florida. The colony suffered from an especially difficult government in which leaders shot each other in duels, and one depressed governor hanged himself in his study. This is very interesting aspect of the settlement. It shows a bit that experienced settlers had an advantage in claiming and cultivating land quickly. It seems that the quicker they could establish a stable system of land development the more successful they would be in developing a system of organization and more likely to keep the land they tried to settle. (Suzanne F.).

Many Natives were very protective of their land and found the quick expansion of the colonies as an enemy to their way of life. This led to what is known as “Pontiac's Rebellion”, which was a time in the spring and summer of 1763 where natives captured numerous British forts in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley region. (Hank L.)

The new colonies in British America were expanding at a rapid pace, causing more Britons from the mother country to immigrate to the colonies. This, however, caused an uneasy feeling in many British leaders. Leaders in Britain began to alienate from the colonists mainly due to their fear of the colonies becoming more powerful than British empire. The outcome of this fear was restricting westward movement and withdrawing from Indian affairs. (Hank L.)

In 1763, while settlers were out killing and scalping Indians, Britons had a different view of them. They moved their attention from Indians to settlers. They found that the settlers, not the Indians, posed the most serious danger to the British rule and imperialism. The British eventually chose to protect the Indians and served as a buffer zone between the Indians and the settlers. (Hannah E.)

Throughout the chapter, I gained greater understanding of Indians, what they thought (briefly on religion), and how they handled certain circumstances. For example, some of the estranged Indians thought that strengthening their ceremonies and customs would result in the destruction of white men by the Master of Life (their belief). They were doing all they could, including traditional practices, to get rid of or at the very least come to a middle ground with the white invaders who were taking over their lands. (Hannah E.)

It was very interesting to read how Benjamin Franklin tried to reconcile the British and colonists. He tried to unite them by doing the “Grand Ohio Company” which was a land venture that played a role in colonialism's spread into the Ohio River Valley. Taylor gave the impression that Franklin often frequently supported finding a medium ground, however, that didn't necessarily work out. (Hannah E.)

After the French and Indian War, national ferver and pride swelled in the colonies, as they just helped defeat Spain and France on a worldwide scale. The colonists thought that they were imperative to the victory, and that they would become more respected/involved in Parliament. Mainland Britain had something very different in mind, whereby they went into so much debt to protect these colonies that were all but forgotten in the minds of the British crown over the past half century. - Ewan H

Following the French and Indian War, Parliament issued the proclamation line of 1763 which prohibited the colonists from settling west of the Appalachian mountains. This came as a surprise to the colonists, who just fought France out of that territory, which they saw as the only obstacle to expansion. The reality of the situation was more of an economic burden in the eyes of the British Parliament who saw first hand in Pontiac’s Rebellion that the Native Americans were no joke, and that fighting another expensive war wasn’t what they needed. - Ewan H

The Great Awakening of the mid 18th century had a hand in preparing the colonists for unity in multiple ways. All of the colonies and religions to some extent took part in the Great Awakening, and that shared experience served as a foundation for political unity down the line. The colonies also started caring about what was going on in other colonies during the Great Awakening, and established newspaper systems and networks for sharing information. - Ewan H

Thomas Jefferson and George Washington resented the restrictions on their ambitions as squatters started migrating to their lands. They also feared competition from England. Franklin worked to reconcile colonial and British elites by uniting them in the “Grand Ohio Company”. However the Native Americans threatened to attack the new colony. In 1772, the British troops finished their evacuation of twenty-two frontier forts and the military withdrawal then accelerated settlement. By 1774, 50,000 settlers lived beyond the old Proclamation Line, which further showed their power. The Imperial officials had expected the colonies to assume responsibility for their problems, but they would not. The British withdrawal attracted a rush of competing settlers and speculators. (Annie Feck)

Colonial settlers in the west relied on stereotypes to thrive. Indigenous people were used for trade and knowledge of the land, with both sides benefitting mutually. Settlers however would use rumors of Natives violence and savagery to justify their expulsion once they had been used for their resources. Declan F.

As the population of British America grew, much faster than that of the homeland, the colonists started to think of themselves as more separate from the main British group. This was due in part to the fact that Britain had widely overlooked what was going in the colonies, at least until the French and Indian War. (Ezra C.)

Following the French and Indian War, Britain believed that they needed to protect the Native Americans from the colonists instead of the other way around. They issued rules, such as the Proclamation of 1763, to keep colonists from spreading into the more western areas where Native Americans lived, though they were widely ignored. (Ezra C.)

Its interesting how this chapter explains the turning point of England seeing the colonies as a solution, to the colonies as being a problem. For one, the amount of land that the colonists deemed was theirs caused all out chaos and skirmishes to ensue in many parts of the colony. This in turn cost the crown a good deal of money. Not to mention the money they had to spend on the 7 years war. Skirmishes continued after the war was over, leading to the proclamation of 1763.- Emma Galvin

Because of the 7 years war and continued fighting, more British miliary presence and laws were being put into place. The colonies had grown used to being a fairly independent entity, so much so that even Englanders didn't really think of the Colonies as part of Britain. This relative independence and way of running things was largely due in part of where the colonies were located. It was a vast collection of land that was hard to control, not to mention an ocean separating the the ruler from his subjects.- Emma Galvin

The British Crown sought tighter restrictions on the colonies, but criticized them for their poor abilities to follow orders and keep peace with the Natives. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 banning Western settlement ended up being increasingly ignored by the colonists, who saw opportunities for land or financial independence. (Colin R.)

The Crown was seeking, on the other hand, to settle more common Whites in the island colonies such as Grenada, ceded to the British after the 7 Years' War, in fear of a revolt with a high number of slaves and a low number of Europeans, and favoring smaller settlers that would have more loyalty to the Crown and enrich the Empire instead of just themselves. The sugar exports of Grenada grew exponentially, from 62,000 to 860,000 pounds in just 10 years. The importance of the West Indies were due to their fertile lands for producing coffee and sugarcane, even though the new acquisitions totaled only about 700 square miles. (Colin R.)

Britain's ability to enforce their policies in the West were becoming near impossible. Colonial governors defied royal orders and helped colonial speculators grab lands and expand out West. The Earl of Dunmore ended up invading Shawnee country and taking their lands south of the Ohio River, including Kentucky. The British were inclined to favor the newly acquired French colonists because of the British colonists' behavior, and British Americans were appalled that the government seemed to favor the Catholic French in Quebec than the Protestant Brits and their culture. Quebec, the British were hoping, would succeed where the British Americans had disastrously and recklessly failed: controlling their colonists to improve their relationships with the Natives so as to prevent costly wars (Colin R.)

Parliament, in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, insisted that they superseded any colonial legislatures, but said colonial legislatures believed that they were actual on equal standing as Parliament. They saw the relationship between the colonies and Britain as having separate and equally powerful legislative bodies that were only united by their shared king. (Ezra C.)

Most all colonists, including the Patriots, still considered themselves British by the eighteenth century. They preferred the king to Parliament, who they blamed for the new taxes and what they perceived to be unfair treatment. His royal majesty was exempt from the blame placed on ministers of Parliament by angry and defiant colonists. (Guy)

The Stamp Act was hated by most colonists, specifically in the New England areas. The effort of getting it repealed taught colonists how to annoy British measures through a combination of protest resolutions by elite writers, violent intimidation by common mobs, and economic boycotts by everyone. These three methods worked together in tandem, making them far more effective together than they otherwise would have been by themselves. (Guy)

The Sons of Liberty was a club created by Boston's leading Patriots. Similar groups spread throughout the colonies as far south as Georgia. The leaders were respectable tradesmen and merchants, who had achieved wealth rather than inherited it, who often worked besides common journeymen and apprentices. It was this connection with the common man that helped to attract hundreds of laborers and sailors for mass meetings, parades, and protests. This increased interest among the average person in seaport politics. (Guy)

Chapter 3 of Alan Taylor's book on the American Revolution showed that British leaders had expected little resistance from the colonies on imposed duties. Still, when taxes were used to control, the Colonists turned more against Britain. Chapter 3 mentioned that by banning paper money, Parliament favored the British at the colonists' expense, reducing their means to pay the duties on imported sugar. Sugar was an important commodity grown elsewhere and needed to be imported. By controlling the import of a popular commodity like sugar, the British could get more money from the American colonies. (Suzanne F).

Colonists disliked the Sugar and Currency Acts and had limited protests. Three key protests and forms of resistance were used concerning the Stamp Act. This led to the idea of no taxation without representation and the focus on three forms of resistance: boycotts, intimidation, and published arguments against the British. (Suzanne F).

Interestingly, the Colonists would have a more positive view of the King and an opposite view of the British Parliament. Also, it is interesting to see the views on British case law Somerset v. Stewart, which states that an enslaved individual brought to England must be set free because slavery had no basis in natural law or English common law, so it would have to be passed by Parliament to be enforced. This seemed to set up the argument that in the South, laws would have to be passed to justify slavery. (Suzanne F).

During the 18th century Britain was becoming wealthier and their military was also becoming more advanced, because of this many Britons thought that Parliament and the Crown were doing a great job protecting their liberties as citizens of the crown. However, colonists had a different point of view, they believed that Parliament was taking away their personal liberties by enforcing things such as taxes. Colonists would use John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon's Cato's Letters as fuel to their argument that Parliament was corrupt for focusing too much on stock markets and trading companies. Colonists believed that farmers were the greatest citizens as they showed the highest set of morals by selling the crops they produced with their land to further benefit the community. (Lauren)

Many of the colonists feared taxes as they thought that if they were to continuously pay them they would become slaves to parliament due to a dependency being established. Taylor argues that due to many colonists owning slaves they understood what life looked like when their independence, specifically private property, was taken away. (Lauren)

The stamp tax would provoke many Patriots to rebel in order to secure their freedoms to not pay it. This was especially true in Boston where Patriots created a large mob to destroy Andrew Oliver and his brother-in-law Thomas Hutchinson's dwellings. Oliver was a tax collector within Boston, the Patriots goal of ransacking his dwellings was to force him to resign as such, they succeeded. Hutchinson was a chief justice in the colony and although he did not favor the stamp tax he still believed it was his job to enforce it, this would lead to him being unfavorable among colonists and Patriots. Hutchinson and his previously powerful family would be forced to leave as the mob destroyed their land and home. (Lauren)

Some colonial gentlemen argued that they were coequal, not subordinate, to the British Parliament. Some British colonists that were critical of Parliament would voice their support for colonial equality in their papers even quoting the Parliament critics. I always find it interesting to learn about the people that don’t just pick a side and really listen to the ideas behind an argument which it seems was happening here by some of the British colonists.(Connor H.)

The Sons of Liberty were influential in generating support for the Revolution. They played a prominent role in the colonial boycott of British goods, which was a challenge for all the colonists. While it was a strong political move, it required personal sacrifices by the colonists and resulted in economic hardship on some. (Connor H.)

What I find interesting, and something that Taylor points out, is that while the Colonies felt it unfair at the amount they were getting taxes in the decades leading up to the Revolution, many every day Englanders felt that it was unfair that they weren't being taxed. They both belonged to the British empire and it was unfair to tax some of its subjects and not the others. - Emma Galvin

Even with the Stamp act passed, Patriots compelled businesses to not use stamps on their documents. It was also seen that roughly half of the British colonies resisted the Stamp Act. Though some colonies like in Bermuda, Quebec, Jamaica and Barbados grudgingly accepted the act, smaller and vulnerable colonies had to abide to the act to maintain their need for British Protection. - David Y.

Despite the growing feelings for independence, there was a group of delegates from 9 of the mainline colonies to form a “Stamp Act Congress” so they can defend their British heritage of rights. To support the congress, merchants gathered in New York to organize a boycott of British goods, and thanks to the newspapers, similar actions were spread to other ports. This pressure did eventually sway Parliament and repeal the Stamp Act, though the Declaratory Act was passed. - David Y.

On the night of March 5th, 1770 in Boston, a civilian mob gathered at the town's customs house to harass a group of British Soldiers guarding the building. Despite the efforts of the British Officer to keep his men from firing, one of them opened fire on the crowd after being hit by a thrown item, followed by the other soldiers, killing 5 men. This incident has been known as “The Boston Massacre” (titled the Bloody Massacre on the papers) which showed a slightly different story about the British deliberately firing on an unarmed crowd. -David Y

This chapter focuses a bit on how women were impacted during this time. A lot of labor fell onto the women who were expected to serve their family. Women weren't expected to talk about politics, but the boycotts gave them a voice because they were needed for support. Women were randomly put in a position where they could now show their opinions on politics. Women were able to join in on protests and “shame loyalists”. They were given a voice and thus had to defend their political activity being collaborative with their usual roles so as not to lose their ability to share their freshly gained political awareness. (Annie Feck)

I found it interesting how the colonies wanted to have a shared Monarchy with Britain, but not share legislature. Rather than listening to Parliament and following the orders and laws made by them, colonists wanted to only listen to the legislature in the colonies. This created turmoil amongst British legislators and colonial legislatures. This also led to many of the Coercive Acts, which at their core, were passed to prove that Parliament still had sovereign power over the colonies. (Hank L.)

In early 1774, the Patriots weren't interested in emancipation from the Empire, they wanted freedom from rules of the Empire. They still respected the king's sovereignty but disliked the laws passed by Parliament that directly affected them. By late 1774, they had organized the first Continental Congress, as conditions hadn't improved, and the want for independence had heightened amongst the movement. (Lily H.)

Patriots, emboldened by their concept of liberty, often patrolled their towns, catching loyalists in their acts of non-rebellion. Using this “liberty”, they went out to intimidate instruments of the crown that enforced taxes set in place by acts of Parliament, burning effigies of that person to scare them. If that wasn't enough, a person would be tarred and feathered. Both acts were done to make an example of that person. These public humiliations often were the works of organized community groups like the Sons of Liberty. (Lily H.)

Patriot violence and discontent was not in fact directed towards the king but rather Parliament. All glory and honor was given to the king as a plea for help and regulation of parliament's power following the Stamp Act and its implementation. Declan F.

“How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty amongst the drivers of the negroes?” The major argument in Britain against the colonists' requests for liberty was the existence of slavery. Colonistsand patriots were viewed as hypocritical in their quest for “liberty” when so many of their population would not benefit from it. Declan F.

GOT TO HERE–WBM

Patriot leaders made promises of opportunities and leadership roles to sway common men to join them. They promised “equal and open” competition based on merit for office and property. Some common men, however, preferred Loyalist elitism because they believed it was more transparent; they were used to and understood it. Loyalists believed the patriots were reckless and dangerous. They felt comfortable with the protection of British rule and thought that the Patriots would cause anarchy but the British would maintain order. (Connor H).

There were divisions in Congress about whether they should seek independence or try to reconcile with Britain. Congress ultimately adopted the “Olive Branch Petition” to try to compromise with the king. Eventually, Congress was pushed to take action, and decided to create a Continental Army, recruiting soldiers from Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland. (Connor H).

In mid-June, 1775, the Charles Town magistrates arrested Thomas Jeremiah on charges of preparing a slave revolt to support the British. His prosperity as a free black fisherman and harbor pilot irritated his white neighbors. He refused to confess despite brutal treatment, but on August 11, a jury convicted and he was sentenced to die. The royal governor, William Campbell, prepared to pardon him, but this resulted in widespread anger, which caused Campbell to desist. On August 18, Jeremiah was hanged to the brink of death then ultimately murdered by being tied to a post and burned. Campbell fled from Charles Town to Britain a month later. (Guy)

Though heavily outnumbered and heavily outgunned, the Patriots were able to hold off the British twice at Bunker and Breed’s Hill. However, the Patriots ran low on ammunition and were forced to retreat on the third British assault. (Hank L)

British officers severely doubted the capabilities of the Patriot militia. This led to many casualties on the British side, with even more British soldiers injured. Following Bunker and Breed’s Hill, the British avoided frontal assaults due to the Patriot’s fighting. (Hank L)

General William Howe, commander in chief of the British army, landed in New York with a fleet carrying thousands of soldiers on July 2, 1776. More ships arrived over the next month, culminating in half the Royal Navy, most of the British merchant marine, two-thirds of the British army, and 8,000 Hessians. It was the largest fleet and army ever gathered for war in North America. Howe's troops chased Washington's army from New York to the Delaware before withdrawing his men back to winter quarters. Despite his victories, Howe lacked a sense of strategic urgency, failing to press home attacks on the staggered enemy, likely due to his luxurious quarters and access to vices. (Guy)

The night of December 25, 1776, Washington made one last desperate attack with his 6,000 men before their enlistments expired at the end of the week. Intending to attack the 1,500 Hessian men posted at Trenton, the troops crossed the Delaware River in boats. It was a risky move that paid off when Washington's troops surprised the Hessian's, whose commander had neglected to fortify Trenton. The Patriots suffered no dead and three wounded while capturing 948 prisoners. (Guy)

Loyalists often claimed that patriot gentleman leaders were dangerous because they were demagogues pushing for mob rule rather than established government. This largely stems from the fact that many of the patriot gentlemen—especially regarding the South—held the very seats of government that could have been used as a tool to achieve peace but instead were weaponized in favor of the revolution that, in turn, gave those very leaders more power than they previously held over the common people by eliminating the structure of government. (Chiara)

The continental congress was divided into moderate and radical patriots, with radicals pushing for total independence to be declared from Britain and the moderates who were willing to fight in the name of defense but ultimately aimed to see a unification between the colonies and the king with a return to the minimal governmental interference the colonies had been given prior to the 7 years war. To assuage the moderates, the 1775 Congress wrote an olive branch petition directly to the king that ultimately did not result in any reunification of the British government and the colonies. (Chiara)

Much of the Revolutionary War was a war to gain the support of public opinion. Many of the patriots were true patriots but were unsure if they wanted to truly make the leap to declaring independence. The southern colonies also felt more threatened than protected by the British. By this time Britain retained about half loyalty in the colonies. This was why the declaration was held off from 1775 to 1776. Common sense was the spark that drew fiery public opinion, which catered to the common man. - Keller D

Britain did not think that the colonies could sustain a long revolution. Britain thought their soldiers were better trained and the colonies would eventually give in. Colonial positions at Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill threatened the British positions. It is interesting that Britain didn’t try to use their superior naval power and was embarrassed by the colonial forces. Some loyalists opposed fighting Britain. The colonies soon discovered the cost and difficulty of trying to unify, fight, and organize the forces in the colonies. George Washington was easily chosen to represent the Continental Army. (Suzanne Ferraro).

It is interesting that colonial leaders like James Madison warned of a revolt of enslaved individuals. Lord Dunmore sought to offer freedom to slaves and white servants to suppress the rebellion. Virginians attempted to tell enslaved individuals that the British would just resell the slaves in the West Indies rather than guarantee freedom. (Suzanne Ferraro).

The divisions within the colonists constituted the difficulty facing congress as the loyalists and patriots split as well as the latter separated into radicals and moderates. Some wanted to declare independence while others respected the British power. Congress adopted an olive branch to the king in hopes for a reconciliation. Despite not declaring independence, the congressmen had already started to act as leaders of the nation. The British population outnumbered the colonists, and congress decided to recruit troops into the Continental Army which George Washington was put in command of. (Annie Feck)

To help sway the people to the idea of independence, Thomas Paine would pen Common Sense which talked to the common people and the idea that a republican government was more beneficial than a king. Paine's words caused mixed feelings within the colonies, including hatred from the loyalists, claiming it has false representations and treasonous words, would also counter it with their own pamphlet titled Plain Truth, which was burned by Patriots. As for some Patriots, they were more concerned by Paine's Zealous cry for Democracy, yet Paine was able to help many overcome their fears of independence. (David Y,)

Congressmen and fellow officials recognized George Washington for his talents and “universal character,” they described him as a gentleman of skill and experience who would be a formidable leader for the military. George Washington was also described as being discreet and calm in nature, a contrast to the inner fierceness Washington rarely showed in public form. All of these qualities are especially important to consider when thinking about the future of the military within the colonies as previous skirmishes were dependent of crowd fueled anger, and less on a collected front, as someone such as Washington could control. Congress would appoint him as commander of the continental army on June 15. (Scarlett).

The British thought that once they showed any amount of force, the colonial minutemen would be weak and give up, but they ended up getting embarrassed when the colonists made a proper show of force at Lexington and following early battles. The British lost a good chunk of the fighting force they had sent, and realized that the colonists wouldn't just give up so easily. (Ezra C.)

Taylor points out how impressive it was for Patriots to get as far as they did. In the first couple years of the war, Patriot troop numbers were dwindling fast, whether due to poor leadership, lack of supplies or the fact that their conscriptions were running out. They also were winning far less battles than they should, leading to many thinking it might be a lost cause. The British military had far superior numbers, money, weapons and training, but what really got the Patriots through was not necessarily winning the battles but not loosing them. This was enough to delay the end of the war and keep the British occupied and dwindled their supplies in the process. - Emma Galvin

One of the Patriot diplomats sent to Paris to convince the French to help with the revolution was Benjamin Franklin. This helped the French to form an alliance with the Patriots and get involved in the war providing military support. Spain aligned with France and provided support as well, but didn’t directly ally with the Patriots. On the other hand, Britain was not able to find allies in Europe. (Connor H).

Benedict Arnold became famous as a traitor to the Patriots. He was originally a prominent Patriot general but he became angry and disgruntled when he was passed over for promotions and had financial problems. He also married into a Loyalist family and ultimately began secretly communicating with the British. It was a shock to the Patriots and he became a symbol of a traitor. (Connor H).

Taylor argues that Howe was winning battles but Washington was winning the war of attrition. Slowly sucking down British resources, he didn't have to win the battle he just had to drag it on, all while gaining public opinion, to the point where the British would be too exhausted to save a cause that would be too far gone if they kept it on for long enough. -Keller D

The public opinion is as important as anything 3else in the war. These opinions were often changing, as the patriots demanded more and more from each other, pushing some to loyalism. The neutral zones also became a factor, where farms were often looted, and the British frequently doing more damage than the patriots. -Keller D

The Colonies didn’t have ammunition and needed to trade but the lack of a common currency was a big limitation. The Colonies negotiated secret shipments of arms that slipped through British blockades. Britain lacked enough Loyalists in the colonies to secure or sustain many military victories. It is interesting to see the disconnect between Washington’s forces fighting and dying and those who would criticize but not sacrifice anything. (Suzanne Ferraro).

Washingtons motives at war were seemingly misunderstood by many at the time. Washington opted to pick and chose his battles, realizing he did not need to settle for small victories but rather could deal with losses if they ate up British time and resources. He understood the struggles of a nation fighting a war from across the Atlantic. Declan F.

Washington was often criticized for his leadership decisions, such as his decision to fight in specific engagements, such as the Battle of Brandywine. People believed the war was going to last a long time, and they saw Washington as indecisive, having yet to defeat the British. They wanted someone decisive who could beat the British quite quickly. Washington was upset by all of the criticism, and it didn't help that his own general, Conway, was also sharing criticism. He questioned Washington's military actions and aimed to advance his position. Despite the criticism, it seemed to motivate Washington. (Hannah E.)

During the Revolutionary war, women played a major role as a support system for men. They assisted with a variety of tasks, such as harvesting, processing food and clothing, etc. They also helped goading patriotic men into enlisting in the war, back then men wanted to impress women so it was quite clever to get women to encourage enlistment. As a result of the men's absence from the home, women's roles began to shift. (Hannah E.)

In 1778, France and America signed treaties for trade and alliance. In this treaty, they agreed to make no separate peace and accept no British terms short of American independence. France believed they could seize British colonies in the West Indies. The Patriots and French hoped to draw the Spanish into their alliance. Then, in 1779, Spain allied with France, but refused to ally with America, thus sustaining the war until the British surrendered. However, America was still able to benefit from Spain and France's alliance. The British wanted a stronger war in order to completely destroy the American economy. (Annie Feck)

When push came to shove and the continental army began to amass its forces into regulated military groups led by George Washington, it became abundantly clear that the men joining the army were of considerable low rank and income within society. This notion of poor men being the main demographic of the army also made politicians indifferent to their needs and supplies such as food was carelessly handed out or scarcely available at all. Improper food handling also made what was available spoil easily leading to mass starvation and malnutrition amongst the continental army. (Scarlett).

With the amount of low income and poor men frequenting the continental army's ranks, their families, unable to stay home and face starvation, were forced to follow behind their husbands and male family members as the only means of having food and safety. To earn their keep, women were often tasked with medical assistance, laundry, food prep, and other domestic labors to keep their presence within the encampment. Despite their contributions to the army, many officers saw women and their families as a hindrance and to the safety and upkeep of the army, in spite of the women being a necessary part of the continental's army's way of life. (Scarlett).

The winter they spent cooped up at Valley Forge took a heavy toll on the Patriot army, with nearly one-fifth of the army dying. Washington experienced resentment at Congress, because they had been criticizing the army instead of sending the supplies they so desperately needed. (Ezra C.)

On September 19th of 1777, General Burgoyne led a failed attack on General Gates' army, which was three times the British army's size at 20,000 troops. Following a second failed attack on October 7th, Burgoyne was forced to surrender to Gates, and “The Convention of Saratoga” concluded on the 17th. Gates' proposal to send Burgoyne's men back to Britain on the condition that they did not return was rejected by Congress, who imprisoned Burgoyne's army instead. The British lost a sixth of their troops in North America, a staggering defeat that would become the turning point of the war, bolstering French support of the Americans. (Colin R.)

Many loyalists in the colonies were expecting better treatment from their British army counterparts when in reality they got the short end of the stick. British armies would often come through and seek loyalists to join them and fight in some other place, which the loyalists would not do. Once the army left, the now outed loyalists would be subject to Patriot attacks, making it very hard to be a loyalist in the colonies. - Ewan H

Taylor references the famous estimate of population breakdown that John Adams did years after the revolution, although he mentions that it wasn’t likely that cut and dry. As opposed to one-third loyalist, neutral, and patriot, Taylor posits that it was more like one-fifth active loyalist or patriot, and three-fifths neutral. This breakdown does not represent the constant changing of allegiances that occurred within the neutral party when occupying armies moved through. - Ewan H

It is worth noting that many neutral colonists were galvanized by certain actions of each army. Many patriot movements in the North involved taking supplies from locals, which would’ve turned perceptions sour. The British had an negative effect on the neutrals as well, especially in the South, where an invading army threatened to upend the delicate balance of slavery that was barely kept in line after Lord Dunmore’s proclamation. - Ewan H

One of the counters to the Revolution were indeed loyalists, nicknamed “Tories” by Patriots, who supported the crown (including some family members of key people like Benjamin Franklin and General Horatio Gates). Those who can gain the support of the citizens could essentially win the war, and the British, like Howe, claimed that most of the colonists were in fact loyalists and only a small support for the Patriots existed. Adams himself had famously calculated that at the start of the Revolution that one third of the population were loyalists, one third were 'true blue', and the last third were too timid to choose. (David Y.)

Though some would think of Loyalists as elitist members, there were still others from different backgrounds who would be considered loyal to the crown and their influences on their choices vary. Loyalist also feared the thought of a republican society, as well as being harassed by more rowdy patriots (some who had no problems tar and feathering Tories.). As the war goes on and victories and defeats occur, would also affect the support given to either the Patriots, or the Crown. (David Y.)

Outside of battles, there was an issue with small raiding groups. They would wreak devastation on farms and communities. They set homes and barns on fire, slaughtered animals, and destroyed crops. There were “neutral zones” where Patriots and Loyalists lived side by side and including raiders. These neutral zones grew increasingly divided as the war went on, which frequently resulted in bloodshed and imprisonment. (Hannah E.)

The idea of unification was based on the fact that colonial leaders spoke on behalf of all true Americans. Political loyalty was not guaranteed and frequently shifted. Oaths became more popular, along with social pressure. When those did not work, patriots turned to violence. (Suzanne Ferraro).

British claims of freedom for enslaved individuals did not work out. The British did little to free enslaved individuals and instead treated them as property if they were conquered. Although James Madison believed that all men were created equal, Virginians did not share that belief and promoted white solidarity. (Suzanne Ferraro).

From 1774 to 1776, the Patriots gained power over most of the printing presses and militia. Patriots would not tolerate anyone who was against them and set out to officially silence the Loyalists. Social pressure was not enough to cement their ideas, so the Patriots later resorted to violence. They destroyed homes, injured and mocked people, and scared people into obedience. They treated the Loyalists as criminals and those who refused to take Patriotic oaths were fined and denied rights. (Annie Feck)

While there were some people who were staunch Loyalists, a lot of the people who the Patriots called “Tories” were just disaffected and trying to stay neutral in the face of violence and potentially losing their property. They tended to resent both sides, though it often leaned further to disliking the Patriots who demanded more from them. Patriots mocked them as actually supporting the British through their lack of choosing a side. (Ezra C.)

Its interesting how colonial loyalists were seen during this war. They definitely had opposing views compared to the Patriots, but they were seen as inferior in the British Army. They weren't given as much attention or supplies along with the fact that if they were captured, the British army would work harder and focus on freeing British soldiers over colonial loyalists. They were often given the short hand of the stick, barring minority groups involved, and would break into their own militant groups that focused on raids against patriots.- Emma Galvin

There were quite a few unofficial factions, Patriot and Loyalist, that had the same beliefs as to what they were fighting for, but not how it was done. They were tired of the rules, regulations, and unfair treatment they felt they had when with their respective armies. This led to a lot more chaos and violence than was necessary with civilians caught in the crossfire.-Emma Galvin

Many Americans were divided on who to support, and many would simply support whoever was least threatening to them at the time, rather than basing their support off of ideology alone. Nathaniel Greene even noted that towards the end of the war, deserters and defectors from both sides were commonplace, and that the Patriots “fought the enemy with British soldiers, and they fought us with those of America.” Support of either side by many would sway as the war dragged on, especially based on which side they perceived to be the least brutal or unfair in their treatment of them. (Colin R.)

Despite his army of 1,500 being in initially very poor condition, General Greene led them quite effectively. He decided to go on the run from General Cornwallis, entering battle when ready, but pursuing a quick retreat, a strategy that proved to be very effective. Greene was wearing down Cornwallis' army, engaging in a war of attrition, where Cornwallis was forced to take Pyrrhic victories, suffering heavy losses and gaining little. Eventually, when Cornwallis received news that Greene was turning southwestward towards Lord Rawdon, he decided not to continue his chase of Greene through the Carolinas' backcountries and Piedmonts, and instead turned his army northward to invade Virginia. (Colin R.)

Following the American Revolution, many people were divided and not united even though we think that. For example, Benjamin Franklin hated his son because his son was still a loyalist. However, the number of loyalists in the colonies was far fewer than the British expected. The loyalists were a smaller minority than the patriots were. (Hank L)

Benjamin Franklin did not like his son because his son was clinging to the British and wanted to stay with the crown. During 1774-1775 the patriots were able to take control of most of the printing press to print their propaganda. Some very famous history books had dwelled on the battles of formal armies. Loyalists gathered around their local leaders for the most part during the war.(Connor H.)

A large goal among colonists was to move West to take over native land. This was made very difficult due to the alliance between the British and the Native Americans. Colonists saw this alliance between the natives and the British as tyrannical and as if Britain “betrayed the racial solidarity of white men upheld by Patriots.” (Lauren)

The Mohawk, Joseph Brant, urged his fellow natives to fight against the Patriots. He urged this because he believed that as the Americans gained more independence from Britain natives would further “dispossession and enslavement.” The British would further play off the natives fear and threaten that if they did not fight against the Patriots they would be further harmed. (Lauren)

The natives in the east lived in poverty surrounded by American settlers, therefore when asked to fight for the Patriot cause by settlers they had no other choice. This caused there to be more natives fighting for the Patriot cause in that area than white settlers. (Lauren)

The patriots' push for independence clashed with the Indians for land out west. The Indians also were scared that the Americans would increase their enslavement to other areas out west. Loyalist and Indian raids on towns were devastating to the patriot militia. After the Various Native American Attacks patriots decided to move eastward because of the constant attacks.(Connor H.)

Indians suspected that colonial independence would also mean their enslavement. Native chiefs believed that it was in their best interest to be neutral. Most Indians thought Britain would win the war. Colonial patriots didn’t have the means to manufacture items for survival. The war became more racially focused when settlers wanted to destroy Native populations. However, it seems that the more colonials and settlers that were around the Native Americans brought a great deal of disease to the Native tribes. (Suzanne Ferraro).