Thinking about loyalty

What is loyalty? Loyalty can mean being faithful and being supportive to a person, to a group of people, or to an idea. For example, often people are loyal to their friends and family.

Think about who or what you are loyal to.

Orally, digitally, in print, or in a method of your choice, create a list of people, places, and beliefs that you are loyal to.

• What would you do to prove your loyalty?
• What would you do to defend this loyalty if it was threatened?

Loyalist groups in Canada

In this learning activity, you will be investigating Loyalist groups that came to Canada between 1713 and 1800. You will be learning about the challenges and decisions that Loyalists had to make to survive and how this impacted the growth of Canada.

Before you explore the content, press the following tabs to explore key terms and definitions that will be used in this learning activity.

Who were the Loyalists?

After the American Revolution (1775 to 1783), many American colonists migrated to different areas in Canada, which at that time was known as British North America. These American colonists were loyal and faithful to the British Crown and moved to present-day Canada because at this time, this land was still under British rule.

They were called “Loyalists” because they loved their home country of Britain and they wanted to remain loyal to British rule. There were many reasons that they remained loyal:

• some had strong ties to Britain
• some opposed the American Revolution
• some were fearful of the change that was happening
• some had certain political beliefs
• others believed that their ties to Britain ensured a more secure life
• many were fearful that if they remained in America, they would be considered traitors by the British

Loyalists came from a variety of backgrounds. Many were farmers, labourers, or tradespeople. Between 1783 and 1784, approximately 30,000 Loyalists migrated to present-day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Approximately 2,000 migrated to present-day Quebec, and 7,500 to present-day Ontario.

Source: Wilson, Bruce G. “Loyalists in Canada.” Loyalists in Canada | The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2 Apr. 2009, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/loyalists.

Study the following series of images and their descriptions.

Can you make any predictions about what challenges the Loyalists would have faced when they first arrived in Canada?

Please note your answers in a method of your choosing.

This is a watercolour painting from 1925 that depicts a Loyalist camp settlement on the banks of the St. Lawrence River.

Loyalists drawing lots for their lands

Loyalists landing on the Saint John River in May 1783

Loyalists camping on the St. Lawrence River in 1784

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Black Loyalists

A Black Loyalist fighting for Britain alongside white soldiers in the American Revolutionary War.

Black Loyalists were people of African descent who supported the British during the American Revolution. In return for their support, the British promised them protection, freedom, and land. Although they were supposed to be treated the same as white soldiers, this promise was not always fulfilled. Their decision to join the British was strongly influenced by two major proclamations that promised freedom and land to enslaved individuals who escaped to join the British forces.

Promises of freedom

The first significant development in this process was Dunsmore’s Proclamation, which was issued in 1775 by the Governor of Virginia, John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunsmore. It declared that any enslaved person who fled their enslaver and joined the British forces would be granted freedom. The intention of this proclamation was aimed to disrupt the economy and provide more soldiers to the British forces, as the American Revolutionary War was on the horizon.

General Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander-in-chief during the American Revolution, issued the Philipsburg Proclamation in 1779, which further expanded on Dunsmore’s Proclamation. The proclamation promised freedom to any enslaved person who escaped from their enslavers, regardless of if they joined the British forces or not.

John Murray, Fourth Earl of Dunmore, and Virginia's last royal governor

General Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander-in-chief during the American Revolution

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Both the Dunsmore’s Proclamation (1775) and The Phillipsburg Proclamation (1779) caused thousands of enslaved Americans to seek refuge with the British with the hopes of promised freedom and land. Furthermore, they completely disrupted the economy in the Southern United States, which relied heavily on the free labour that enslaved people provided.

Richard Pierpoint escaped enslavement and became a Black Loyalist. He later settled in Upper Canada and was a prominent community leader.

Richard Pierpoint (1744-1838) was born in Africa and enslaved as a teenager. During the American Revolution, Pierpoint joined the British side as a Black Loyalist. After the war, he eventually settled in Upper Canada, which is now Ontario.

In his later years, Pierpoint became a respected leader in his community. When the War of 1812 began, Pierpoint, then in his late sixties, helped organize an all-Black militia that bravely fought in several battles to defend Canada.

Certificates of freedom

During the war, the British government promised enslaved Black individuals “full protection, freedom, and land” if they promised to serve the British. When the British lost the American Revolutionary War, they were forced to leave America and so were the Black Loyalists to whom they had promised freedom.

Before the British left the newly formed United States, they gave Black Loyalists “certificates of freedom.” They needed these certificates to board the ships that were evacuating Loyalists to Canada. Others were abandoned, left behind, captured, and returned to their enslavers.

Land and labour struggles

Nearly 3,500 Black Loyalists migrated to modern-day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick where they planned to organize, clear, and settle on new land. However, Nova Scotia was not prepared for the arrival of so many Loyalists. The British had promised the Loyalists free land and rations for the first three years they were in Canada, but only a small portion received this.

Many Black Loyalists arrived in the late fall of 1783 and did not have the opportunity to clear land, build a home, or plant crops before winter hit.

The following painting titled Bedford Basin near Halifax was painted by the artist Robert Petley in 1835. It portrays a family of Black Loyalists travelling to settle in Nova Scotia after the American Revolution. The painting shows a rural setting with hills, mountains, trees, and a body of water in the background. A man and woman are walking on a path between rocks and trees. They are pulling a wooden wagon with two cows while a young girl rides in the back.

Brainstorm

Reflection

Think about the painting Bedford Basin near Halifax and its description. What challenges do you think this family of Black Loyalists would have faced as they travelled to Nova Scotia?

Hint: Look closely at the land, surroundings and their method of travel. What might this tell you about their journey?

Many Black Loyalists were not given the land they were promised, or the land they were given was not suitable for farming. So, they had to rely on their other skills to make a living. For example, many Black Loyalists were:

• teachers
• bakers
• blacksmiths
• tailors
• shoemakers
• sailors
• doctors

Despite having secured their freedom, these Loyalists received lower wages than white workers. Enslavement still very much existed in Nova Scotia, so Black Loyalists were not seen as free by everyone. Black Loyalists sometimes lived in fear that they would be kidnapped and sold.

Racism and resilience

In July 1784, a violent race riot took place in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, one of the first recorded in Canada. After the American Revolutionary War, both Black Loyalists and White Loyalists settled in the area, having been promised land and resources by the British government. But when land grants were delayed and jobs were hard to find, tensions grew. Some white settlers blamed the Black Loyalists, saying they were taking jobs for lower pay. Angry white mobs attacked the Black Loyalist community. They burned homes, destroyed businesses, and forced families to flee. The British government did little to protect them. Despite facing poverty, racism, harsh winters, and disease, Black Loyalists showed incredible strength and resilience, rebuilding their lives and communities.

By 1791, Black Loyalists realized that the promise of free land and protection was not the reality. They sought out answers from the British government for the land they had been promised. However, nothing had changed. They were approached by a business group based out of Sierra Leone, Africa and were asked to return to Africa with the promise of free land to settle on. By January of 1792, approximately one third of Black Loyalists, who had arrived in Nova Scotia in 1783, set out on boats to Africa.

The following watercolour painting by George James Rowe portrays a view of the harbour at Freetown in Sierra Leone and shows some of the 15 vessels that made the voyage from Nova Scotia during the winter of 1792. In this painting there are several sailboats in calm waters. In the background there are hills on land.

Overall, Black Loyalists boosted the population of Canada, which led to the creation of Upper Canada and New Brunswick. They heavily influenced the politics and culture of what would become modern-day Canada. The quality of life for the Black Loyalists who stayed in Canada improved over the next decade and they began to work for quality trades. They watched as enslavement and racial distinctions eroded and were able to make economic advancements.

Source: Lindsay, Michael, and Neal Thomas. “Remembering Black Loyalists, Black Communities in Nova Scotia.” Government of Nova Scotia, 2001, novascotia.ca/museum/blackloyalists/index.htm.

Brainstorm

Reflecting on challenges

What challenges did Black Loyalists face when they arrived in Canada, and how do they reflect the unfair treatment from the British government?

Please record your answer in a method of your choosing.

Press the Hint button to access possible answers.

Hint

Black Loyalists faced many challenges such as not receiving the land they were promised, or being given land unsuitable for farming. Many arrived later than expected and winter set in before they could clear their land. Additionally, they were often treated unfairly, faced unequal pay, were not always recognized as free individuals, and frequently experienced racism.

Haudenosaunee Loyalists

In 1777, the Haudenosaunee Six Nations were divided by the war. Patriots in America punished the Haudenosaunee Loyalists if the British were not nearby as most Haudenosaunee were British allies and joined the Loyalists in the fight against America. When the British lost the war and had to give up land in the Thirteen Colonies, this included the Haudenosaunee territory south of the Great Lakes. This meant that a number of Haudenosaunee were displaced from their lands and migrated with the Loyalists to Nova Scotia.

“The Loyalist influx gave the region its first substantial population and led to the creation of a separate province, Upper Canada, in 1791. Loyalists were instrumental in establishing educational, religious, social and governmental institutions.”

Source: Wilson, B. (2021). Loyalists in Canada. In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/loyalists

Among the Haudenosaunee who migrated was Chief Joseph Brant, who settled his people around the Grand River in Ontario. Joseph Brant helped translate religious material into the Mohawk language. By 1780, Brant was made a captain in the British military and he fought to unite the Haudenosaunee and western Indigenous groups to prevent the American expansion westward.

In 1784, the Haudenosaunee and British signed the Haldimand Proclamation, which was meant to compensate the Haudenosaunee for their loyalty to the British during the war. The British government purchased land from the Mississauga and Ojibwe people and gave it to the Haudenosaunee and other First Nations families to settle on.

Source: Wilson, Bruce G. “Loyalists in Canada.” Loyalists in Canada | The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2 Apr. 2009, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/loyalists.

Knowledge check

Complete the following multiple-choice quiz based on what you’ve learned throughout this activity about different Loyalist groups.

Select the correct answer.

For each sentence, consider what you have learned about Black Loyalists and select the missing word from the drop-down menu.

Summarize your learning

In this learning activity, you learned about two groups of Loyalists and their journey to what is now Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. There were a variety of reasons that Loyalists chose to and were forced to leave their homes for Canada.

Following the American Revolution, some Loyalists chose to leave the newly formed United States because of their allegiance to Britain. Others, however, were forced to leave and settle in present-day Canada.

Push and pull factors

Push factors are reasons that Loyalists had to leave their land or factors that pushed them away. Pull factors are reasons Loyalists were drawn to their new land or factors that pulled them to their new homes.

Complete the Push and Pull Factors of the Loyalist Movement in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable documents. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.

Press the Activity button to access the Push and Pull Factors of the Loyalist Movement.

Activity(Opens in a new tab)

Connect your learning

Over the course of this learning activity, you have investigated the experience of Loyalist settlers in British North America. Use specific evidence from your learning, answer the following questions using a method of your choice:

• Both the Haudenosaunee and Black Loyalists were forced to leave their lands, but for different reasons. How did the British government promise to compensate each group for their loyalty? What actually happened when they tried to settle in British North America?
• The sudden arrival of tens of thousands of Loyalists changed life in British North America. How did this rapid population increase create tension over land, jobs, and wages?
• Despite broken promises, discrimination, and harsh conditions, Loyalist groups showed resilience and leadership. Using the examples of Chief Joseph Brant and Richard Pierpoint, explain how their actions and leadership helped shape communities in British North America.

Think about your learning

Evaluate what you have learned in this activity. Do you think the Loyalists who migrated to Canada made the right decision? Why or why not? Use evidence from your learning to support your answer.

Record your thoughts in a method of your choice.

Reflection

As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.

I feel...

I have an excellent understanding of the concepts   I have a very good understanding of the concepts   I have some understanding but need to review some more  my understanding of the concepts needs a lot more work

Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.

When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.

Press Discover More to extend your skills.