United Empire Loyalists

In the 1760's, 40 000 - 50 000 United Empire Loyalists came to Canada. All sorts of groups of them came inlcuding Birtish soliders, colonial milital, British regiments, city dwellers, farmers, newspaper owners, blacksmiths, silver smiths and shop owners. Even families came; families consisting of even just women and chldren because the male was lost to war or death of disease. Since some of the loyalists were leaders in their own communites and rejected the revolution, they believed that their own ideas should have a chance to be represetned in the government. These ideas would have effect on how white male property owning loyalists viewed their rights as citizens in Canada.

Atlantic Canada was one of the places that loyalists came to settle on after their forced relocation because of the revolution. It was a time off loss and confusion for the loyalists in Atlantic Canada. There were problems in deciding who was to own the land. The land speculation was rampant because land grants had been given to land those land promotoers who had power and connections in the English court. This would be of no help to the loyalists since they were concidered refugees, with no power whatsoever. They were presented with the problem of having no where to setlle which would have made the loyalists confused and angry, because they were promised land and did not want to serve as tentants. They couldn't rebel because they had nothing and would lose the chances of ever gaining anything in their new British colony. To their interest, Govenor Parr and the British Authorites wanted to stay loyal to their promise and figured out a way to grant them some land. At the time, the society was stuructured along heirachal lines and the government realize dthat those of this heiracrhy who owned the lands were not fulfiling their land obligations. As a result, the British government and reprsenation were able to grant the loyalists their ppromise to settle with the principle of escheat. Finally, the loyalists who had worked so hard to make their way to their new colony, could actually settle and hope for nothing but good times ahead.

For the most part they managed to do well, but they still ran into some problems when hthey were settling into their new home. They were happy to be granted 40.47 hectares of land and an additional 20 hectres of land for each