PATRIOTS VS
LOYALISTS
The colonists should help pay Great
Britain for the French and Indian war
debt.
“No Taxation without Representation” is
a false argument.
The colonists should have total control
over who taxes them (colonial assemblies
or Parliament).
The colonists should have total control
over how tax money is spent.
The colonists can defeat
Great Britain because they
have home-ground advantage.
The colonists cannot win a
war with Great Britain because
the British have the most
powerful army and navy in the
world.
The colonists do not have the
money to form and maintain a
national army and navy.
Should the colonists win a
war with Great Britain, they will
not have the capacity to defend
themselves against France and
Spain in North America.
Being part of the British
empire gives the colonists
access to goods from all over
the world.
The colonists have a secure
market in Great Britain for their
goods and raw materials.
Should the colonists win a
war with Great Britain, it will
be difficult to develop
international trade relations
and thus the economy will
suffer.
An increase in control by
the British government
should not alone justify
going to war.
An imperfect situation is
better than the unknown.
 If the war is lost, some
of the most intelligent,
respected leaders in the
colonies will be hanged.
The colonist’s rights as English
subjects are limited by the English bill
of rights.
The Patriots have exaggerated
problems with Great Britain.
The colonists have repeatedly
petitioned the King and Parliament to
hear their grievances, but were either
ignored or answered with more British
control.
As John Locke stated, government is a
contract. The king has failed to uphold
his end of the contract as the protector of
the colonies.
Britain has allowed the colonists more
rights and privileges than any other
nation on earth. The Patriots act like
spoiled children expecting more and
giving less than those in Great Britain.
The King is chosen by God. Treason
against the King is treason against God.
The colonists basic rights are being
eroded. They are no longer guaranteed
trials at the place of the crime and troops
are being quartered in their homes.
Patriots vs. Loyalists: Who said it?
1. King George III is doing the best he can with a difficult situation. He is
not a cruel or unjust ruler.
2. No one should have to pay a tax unless they choose the
representative who helps determine that tax.
3. England has refused us our God-given rights.
4. Since England does not have the right to tax us, then they also do not
have the right to make other laws that affect us.
5. We should pay our fair share to England. We have wealth, religious
freedom, and opportunity for all. We are far better off than other
countries.
6. We need the protection that England can give us. They protected us in
the French and Indian war. They can also protect us in future
conflicts.
7. England and the colonies all have the same roots. A war against
England is like having a war against our own family.
8. Morally, we are better than England. We know the difference between
right and wrong. England's government is corrupt.
What is the issue?
PATRIOT
• Britain controls trade - colonies should have be able to trade with whoever
they wanted to and what they wanted.
LOYALIST
• The colonies profited with protected markets making the need to trade
with other countries almost non-existent.
PATRIOT
• taxed them without their consent. Parliament had no right to make laws for
them because they were not represented in making them TAXATION
WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
LOYALIST
Colonists did have representation. First, any white, male landowner over
twenty-one could bring his idea to his local colonial legislature. The
colonial legislature would give that idea to the royal governor who would
send the idea to British Parliament where it could be debated and voted
on.
What is the issue?
PATRIOT
• “All men are created equal. We have the right to Life,
Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
LOYALIST
• If all men are created equal where were Life, Liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness for the slaves?
PATRIOT
• If we are English subjects, why don’t we have the same
rights
LOYALIST
• You have even better rights. You are taxed less your trade
is protected, and the British army protects you from the
French, Spanish and Indians.
Patriot Argument
Loyalist Argument
- Individual liberty
threatened by greater
government
- A series of acts and laws
passed by the British
Government were
oppressive and indicative of
a decline in colonial rights.
- No representation in
British Parliament
- The Quartering of British
troops
- Closing of the Port of
Boston
- British control of trade
- Common Heritage and
Culture with England
- Benefit from the trans-Atlantic
trade
- Many were first generation or
had close relatives in
England
- Strong sense of duty to
British Crown
- Farms and Farm products
could be greatly reduced in
value
- Separate government could
degenerate into anarchy
- Actions taken by
revolutionary committees
were “illegal”, and a
symptom internal tyranny
Patriot or Loyalist ?
• http://www.wingclips.com/movieclips/the-patriot/i-will-not-fight
• http://www.wingclips.com/movieclips/the-patriot/who-is-with-us?play=1
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn3Zt
Bt3LTs&feature=related