---
title: "Why was it better to be a loyalist than a patriot?? And why were the loyalists okay with the king’s taxes?"  
description: "Why was it better to be a loyalist than a patriot?? And why were the loyalists okay with the king’s taxes?"  
author: "Gray  park"  
published: 2018-10-28  
canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/51435/why-was-it-better-to-be-a-loyalist-than-a-patriot-and-why-were-the-loyalists-okay-with-the-king-s-taxes  
category: "history, politics & society"  
tags: ["usa history"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Why was it better to be a loyalist than a patriot?? And why were the loyalists okay with the king’s taxes?

Why was it better to be a loyalist than a patriot?? And why were the loyalists okay with the king’s [taxes](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/95934/who-is-appointed-as-the-chairman-of-the-central-board-of-indirect-taxes-and-customs-cbic)?\
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## Answers

### Answer by Sarda Kumari

**An overview- Loyalists and Patriots:**

Loyalists, also called Tories, were loyal to the **British crown** for several reasons. They were primarily upper class, lived in cities, and wanted to keep their **land and wealth**.

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Many had valuable ties with the British crown and had government jobs. Loyalists believed in peaceful agreement but were met with mistrust and insults because they had no belief in the cause of the **Patriots.**

![Why was it better to be a loyalist than a patriot?? And why were the loyalists okay with the king’s taxes?](https://answers.mindstick.com/questionanswer/a454c512-853f-4b29-8dc5-de8be0abe250/images/5d950040-b7d7-43ea-9250-a21b4f7563d2.jpeg)\
**\** **Also read: [Which British Royal family member has been stripped of all his Royal patronages and Military titles?](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/95616/which-british-royal-family-member-has-been-stripped-of-all-his-royal-patronages-and-military-titles)** \
Most Patriots controlled the joining of **African Americans** to their cause, but the British crown had no such worries. The Proclamation of Dunmore in 1775, named for the **governor of Virginia,** the Earl of Dunmore, promised to provide freedom to any enslaved man that helped to serve the King and the crown. \
Within a month after the decree had been issued, as many as 800 populations of formerly enslaved men from **Virginia joined the Tories**. Tens of thousands more would follow from Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas. **Historians** have pointed out that the policy was, in fact, the first widespread emancipation of the enslaved in American history. \
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**Reason for which the loyalist supported the King's taxes:** Loyalists were the colonists that felt that a **strong British Empire** was beneficial for all and that, as British subjects, they must obey the laws of the British Empire. They were of the opinion that the taxes would have **favorable** benefits like increased protection and **profit through trade**. \
They felt that America was not strong enough on its own and would not be able to self-govern like Britain. It was due to these reasons which the loyalists supported the taxes imposed by the British crown. \
**Also read: [Illustrate some facts which highlight that the constitution has its roots in British rule?](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/93200/illustrate-some-facts-which-highlights-that-the-constitution-has-its-roots-in-british-rule)**


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