The American Revolution Historic Groups

As a Rice Farmer and Member of the Patriot Historic Group

I support the Patriot cause because, as a rice farmer depending on slave labor, I cannot afford to pay wages to laborers and land tax to the crown, and still make a profit. I am driven by profit from my efforts, a vision shared with the Patriots, and welfare is the responsibility of the government. I dread an uprising or desertion by my slaves because they outnumber us by far. I cannot hire paid laborers because this would ruin my profits and I already spent much money to buy my slaves to work here. Only the Patriot Army believes in free commerce and can therefore keep my slaves from escaping. The Patriot group would protect me from paying unjust taxes, including land tax, to the colony.

I appeal to the moderates to support the Patriot cause because this is the only way to protect our commerce by allowing trade that is devoid of colonial taxes that only serve to fill his majesty’s coffers. Continued slave labor will enable us to keep labor costs down, while autonomy from the central government and the crown will reduce our tax burden and give us a chance to decide on how to conduct our trade in a freer and fairer environment.  

As a Religious Moderate Historic Group

I am a Quaker, and whereas I am a loyal subject of this great colony, trading in sugar from the south, I know for sure that whatever your cup of tea, Dutch or English, it needs sugar in it. In my faith, I believe invasion of private property by gangs, such as was done by the Sons of the Liberty at Boston is against the Will of God, and it hurts our commerce. I condemn use of violence by the Sons of Liberty, in resolving this issue of tax on British tea. I do not see the need for conflict over the label on the tea chest, but rather I would prefer that everyone be at liberty to take their preferred cup of tea without undue limitation imposed by taxation. The no-tax without representation slogan is false because we have equal numbers of representatives between colonialists and British.

I would like to urge the Patriot to abandon their call for civil protests because it promotes anarchy and disobedience to a God-given authority. The King does not seek to subjugate our liberties but rather to get funding for governing the colony. Any government, not just His Majesty’s government, needs finance to run it and that comes by way of extracting tax.

I also urge the loyalist to take a middle ground because it reduces animosity in the colony. No matter how loyal to the King one is, it is not right that they agree to the use of a private company, such as British East India Tea, by the crown to extract tax from her subjects, especially when such a tax is not for the benefit of the colony and when the tax discriminates against English tea drinkers. The loyalist must petition the central government to respect the views of the majority. You must not fall on the side of the Patriots since they are led by a gang of smugglers and illegal traders who avoid paying tax and make the law-abiding citizens shoulder the tax burden. They conspired to make the Tea Act appear as if it was directed against the colony and benefit the Dutch, a position that is not true.

As a Frontiersman and Member of the Loyalist Historic Group

Living on the frontier is challenging to us frontiersmen, I support the crown because it has made this colony great and turned its fortunes. The king has the troops and needs the tax money to finance the troops fighting the Indians and bringing their territories under our control. The Patriots in the East do not wish to help people outside their territories with tax money to finance frontier troops, only his majesty’s soldiers can and are willing to fight the Indians.

I would urge the Moderates, they of undecided opinion to join the loyal group because there is more to gain from the colony. Only his majesty’s troops can protect us the frontiers people as we do not have enough firepower to thwart the pesky raiders who harass us and destroy our crops and pastureland and so we need the King’s protection. The patriots are indifferent to our problems with Indians and but instead want us to disobey the king by failing to pay tax. The patriots depend on trade and industry, we depend entirely on farming, and therefore we are at higher risk of economic loss in case of attacks. If we do not pay taxes we do not get troops, and if the troops come, they will come to punish us not fight off the Indians. By remaining moderate, we unwittingly support the patriots who believe only in selfish gain from trade and smuggling.