American Archives

Loyalist/British Resistance and Ideology

Documents composed by British opponents of the Patriots and colonial Tory-Loyalists and Whig-Revolutionary reactions and actions against them. Ideological themes particular to Loyalists found here; more general ideological issues, shared by all sides can be found under "political philosophy."


  • Loyalist philosophy: sustained ideological statements by Tories, Loyalists, and their allies.
  • Loyalist resistence to new governments: declarations that deemed new governmental bodies (committees, congresses, conventions) illegitimate and evidence of rebellion against Parliament and Crown.
  • Opposition to Loyalists/placemen/British: Whig/patriot statements and actions against their opponents and responses by Loyalists and their allies.

  • Patriot conspiracy against liberties: conspiracy by committees, congresses, or conventions to deprive subjects of their liberties (right to support the British government).

  • Revolution and leveling: charges that committees, congresses, or conventions have leveled all distinctions between rich and poor, governed and governors.

  • Support for hierarchy: assertions that hierarchical rule is best, particularly king-in-parliament.

  • Treason: assertions that the activities of Whig patriots amounts to treason against authority, against Britain, against the king.