The residents of the American colonies were divided by the Revolutionary War into two groups: the patriots and the loyalists, or Tories, as they were also called. The patriots wanted their own country to obtain independence from the British Empire. The loyalists did not want to break away from Britain and instead wanted to remain as its citizens.
Explanation:
At the time, there were very convincing reasons to be a loyalist. Many people were accustomed to the way they lived and did not want to make any extreme changes. They were afraid of an uncertain future, fighting against the powerful British army, and potentially losing the war. Also, they felt that their lives would be much better if the colonies remained under British rule, as some of the people had business interests in Britain.
However, as the Revolutionary War began, it became difficult for loyalists to live in the colonies. They were in constant danger as there were many radical patriots who controlled most of the area. Loyalists were losing their homes, family, businesses, hopes, and lives.
To save themselves, many loyalists decided to leave the country and go back to Britain, where they could live in peace and safety. Other loyalists chose to help the British armies fight the patriots. Some joined the British army, and others started forming their own militia groups, including the Loyal Greens and the Royal American Regiment.
After the war ended, and the patriots won, many loyalists who were lucky enough to stay alive moved to Britain or Canada. However, the government of the USA invited them to stay and help their young country, and some of the loyalists did so. In addition, the British government was please to have so many loyal people, and since many of them lost their houses and fortunes in the USA, it paid some loyalists compensation money. That is how the Revolutionary War influenced the lives of many Americans, British, and Canadians.