- Definition
Loyalists were American colonists who wanted to remain part of Britain during the American Revolution and moved to places like Canada when the war ended.
A family who decided to leave their home in the colonies and move to Canada so they could remain loyal to the British king.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Being a Loyalist was like wanting to stay on the same team as your old friends, even when most of the other kids decided to start a brand new team.
Ask your child: Why might someone want to stay with their old team?
Common mix-up: Kids might think the Loyalists were just the 'bad guys.' They were people who felt a strong connection to their old country and way of life.
Examples
- A colonial soldier who chose to fight for the British army instead of the American one.
- Black Loyalists who were promised freedom if they left their American masters to support the British.
Loyalists is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
+3 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
