What Exactly Is A Loyalist?
A Loyalist by definition is someone who is or stays loyal to their own country and their government.
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During the American Revolution many people stayed loyal to Great Britain. These people felt as if that was their duty to stay "loyal" to their country, hence the name "Loyalists". About one-third of the people during the American Revolution were Loyalists. These people consisted mostly of wealthy merchants, land owners,
Tory
Another name for a loyalist is a "Tory". This word was derived from Old Irish. The word "Tory" had a very negative connotation, meaning thug or robber. The Loyalists got this name from the radical Patriots, who were strongly against the loyalists.