Loyalists/ Tories were persecuted before, during and after the war. Being a Loyalist during the American Revolution was very rough and came with two different kinds of cruel punishment from the radical Patriots, legal mistreatment carried out with the okay from the British government and public harassment from the Patriot mobs. This punishment included tarring and feathering, hanging, public embarrassment, and property destruction and seizure.
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Tarring and Feathering/ Public Embarrassment- This was the most popular punishment from the radical Patriot mobs. The mobs would strip the Loyalist either to the waist or naked, pour hot, pine tar on them, then either force them to roll in feathers or pour feathers on them, and then paraded around town. The mobs thought this would convince the Loyalist to either change sides and become a Patriot or to leave town.
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Hanging- The most severe punishment done by the Patriots, if they did not conform to the demands of the mob after the harassment and embarrassment they were commonly hanged. One popular story is the hanging of Thomas Hutchinson as pictured to the left.
Property Destruction/Seizure- Many of the Patriot mobs would confiscate, attack and destroy the Loyalist homes. They would steal money and jewelry, destroy furniture, break windows, basically tearing down the entire house.