*** the American Revolution Revolutionary War winners and losers








The American Revolutionary War: Winners and Losers

American loyalists
Figure 1.--Many Loyalists were forced or chosed to leave America. One of these was the most estemed artist of Colonial America--Bostonian John Singleton Copley. Here we see him and his family in England during 1777. (Boston was in the hands of the Colonials.) His father-in-law is with them. It was his tea that the Sons of Liberty dumped into Boston Harbor. He neverer returned to America, but unlike many emigres, he achieved considerabkle success in London.

The winners in the Revolution was the American-born middle class. There were limits on the horrizons. for colonials from humbel horizons. This allowed much great social mobility than would have been possible under class-bown British rule. There were also losers. About 80,000 Royalists left America and many others would have left if it had been possible. This was a not inconsequential part of the population at the time. The big losers were the Native Americans. British policy at the time was to restrict migration west beyond the Apalachans. The British with the Quebec Act (1774) were proceeding to effectively reserve the Ohio Valley to French Canadians and their Indian allies. The defeat of the British removed any real restriction on westward migration and as a result, Native Americans were relentlessly pushed west in the next century. Oter losers were black slaves. Had Britain maintained its American colonies, abolition would have come sooner. Another consequence of the War was a change in British imperial policy. The flexibility that Britain failed to show in its relations with the American colonists, it did shown in its policies toward the Dominion states like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa--countries that played a key role in Britain's victory in World War II.

Winners

The winners in the Revolution was the American-born middle class. There were limits on the horrizons. for colonials from humbel horizons. This allowed much great social mobility than would have been possible under class-bown British rule. Others losers were the landless or farmers with small farms. Britain had tried to prevent the American ,ovemnt wsest. The mericn victory threw the Western frointier beyonfd the Applchins wide open. Other winners were those interested in manufcturing. British trade regulations restructing mnufcturung were no longer in force. Also befitting was the merchant class. Americans could now trade freely with France anbd other countries.

Losers

There were also losers. About 80,000 Royalists left America and many others would have left if it had been possible. Most did not, however, do as well in England as they had been doing in America. America lost its most prestigious artist--John Singleton Copley. The Boston merchant family, the Coffins fought with the British and also had to leave America. The Loyalists were not inconsequential part of the population at the time and of course a much larger number had Loyalist sympathies. The big losers were the Native Americans. British policy at the time was to restrict migration west beyond the Apalachans. The British with the Quebec Act (1774) were proceeding to effectively reserve the Ohio Valley to French Canadians and their Indian allies. The defeat of the British removed any real restriction on westward migration and as a result, Native Americans were relentlessly pushed west in the next century. Oter losers were African slaves. Had Britain maintained its American colonies, abolition would have come sooner. It would hve been in ythe hnds of the Westminister Parliament. In an indeondent merica, it was plced in the hands of the states. And while it came relatuvely raoidly in the North. It did not come in the Souyh where most slaves lived. It would be as if Britain had laft the decision to the individual colonies. Another consequence of the War was a change in British imperial policy. The flexibility that Britain failed to show in its relations with the American colonists, it did shown in its policies toward the Dominion states like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa--countries that played a key role in Britain's victory in World War II.







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Created: 11:28 AM 7/4/2005
Last updated: 5:31 PM 7/5/2022