"He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us."

In this episodes, we explore the many faces of Loyalism in the Colonies, particularly the Loyalist stronghold of New York City. Of course, Loyalists remained under the King's protection during the war, contrary to Grievance #23 of the Declaration of Independence.

Topics include the following:

-a description of the different Loyalists or Tories throughout the Colonies, including the rich and poor, black and white, Native and European, male and female

-the origins of the Sons of Liberty in 1765 as a result of the Stamp Act

-the development of the rift between Patriots and Loyalists

-misconceptions about these categories, namely that many Sons of Liberty became Loyalists, such as Joseph Allicocke and James de Lancey

-an overview of the political and legislative system of New York City and the ways in which the Stamp Act and the Quartering Act affected New Yorkers' perceptions of Parliament, the King, and their own political leaders

-Alexander McDougall's opposition to de Lancey's support of the Quartering Act, and his authorship of his pamphlet To the Betrayed Inhabitants of New York

-Edmund Burke's advocacy for the redress of legitimate Colonial grievances in Parliament

-the growing strife between Patriots and Loyalists in Manhattan and the flight of Loyalist New Yorkers to New Jersey

-the return of Loyalists to New York after the Battle of Long Island and the British capture of the city at the end of 1776

-an explanation of the oaths of allegiance to the King administered in occupied New York

-the flight of Loyalists from New York City after the end of the war

-the fate of Loyalists who chose to stay in the new United States after the war

Dr. Minty's book can be found here:

Unfriendly to Liberty: Loyalist Networks and the Coming of the American Revolution in New York City