People of the Revolution

During the American Revolution, the British Soldiers were called redcoats. This is because a red coat was part of their military uniform. Most of them were farmers or tradesmen who wanted to fight for their country. They were not used to the rugged land and the Native Americans who lived in America.

The colonists formed a militia to fight the British. The militia was made up of citizens who were ready to fight if needed. They trained a few times a year and had their own weapons.

A few hand-picked members of the militia were minutemen. Minutemen were young, strong, well-trained members of the militia. They were always armed and ready to join a battle when needed, which is where they got their name.

Later, the Continental Army was formed. It was the first organized army of the United States. Many of the soldiers in blue coats were farmers and tradesmen.

A patriot was a colonist who wanted to be independent from Britain. Patriots believed they were not being treated fairly by the British. They protested in many ways. They wrote letters, boycotted products, and even tarred and feathered people to humiliate them. Tarring and feathering involved pouring tar on a person and then throwing feathers to stick to the tar.

The Sons of Liberty was a secret group of patriots who planned public protests of British Law. They formed in 1765 after the Stamp Act was introduced. The Sons of Liberty organized the Boston Tea Party, along with other formal protests.

A loyalist, also known as a tory, was a person in America who stayed loyal to Britain and the king during the American Revolution. They believed their lives would be better if they remained British Citizens