Loyalist Expatriation

When the American Revolution began, the colonial population was divided into two groups: Patriots, who backed the revolution, and Loyalist Expatriation, who stayed loyal to the British Empire throughout the conflict. Loyalists made up around 20% of the population of the colonies. A tiny minority of them, however, actively backed the British cause. The Loyalists were regularly harassed for supporting the Crown throughout the Revolution.

An estimated 60,000 to 100,000 Loyalists deserted the newly formed nation after it obtained independence. Some of these people moved to the United Kingdom. The vast majority, however, were given land and incentives to relocate to British possessions in what is now Canada, particularly Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. The southern Loyalists largely went to British Caribbean territories and Florida, which had remained faithful to the Crown.

Loyalists' Expatriation from the north mostly settled in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. United Empire Loyalists was their name. The majority of those who were rewarded received land in Canada or money from the United Kingdom, which was dispersed through legitimate claims procedures. The British government compensated loyalists who fled the United States with moreover £3 million or around 37% of their losses. Loyalists who remained in the United States were entitled to keep their property and become citizens of the United States.